


Halley's Re-Boot of Kings

by CWnerd12



Category: Kings (TV 2009)
Genre: Alternate Universe - America, Angst, Epic, F/F, Fix-It, Found Family, Humor, M/M, biblical, himbo king, semi-original
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:41:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 70
Words: 352,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22199524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CWnerd12/pseuds/CWnerd12
Summary: A while ago, a friend suggested I watch a TV series from 2009 that nobody watched. Two years later, I'm seven seasons deep into the question: how would you handle a re-boot?
Relationships: Jack Benjamin/David Shepherd, Michelle Benjamin/Original Female Character
Comments: 236
Kudos: 81





	1. Season 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm an aspiring screenwriter, and this chapter is how I'd handle some major changes to season 1 to my personal re-boot of Kings. 
> 
> If you didn't watch Kings, I made a handy primer for you to read, so now you have no excuse not to read, you lazy bastard: http://bit.ly/38on2sa
> 
> I've always wanted to write my own version of the story of King David (well, one specific interpretation of it) and this is kind of the result. I consider it semi-original as the canon is so tantalizingly incomplete: I had to make up my own version of major biblical characters and do my own world-building.
> 
> Since I'm a screenwriter, the story is written in the general form of a script, but altered so I don't have to send Final Draft docs to all my friends to be able read it.
> 
> Anyway, it has a map: http://bit.ly/2RaK6Ui
> 
> I've worked obsessively on it for a long time, and even if nobody reads it, I had an honest blast writing it, so I hope anyone who does read it also enjoys the ride.

**SEASON 1**

After rescuing the two captives, David gets chewed out by his higher-ups. After he’s done being yelled at, he glances back through the tent flaps to see where the soldier with a bandaged face is being examined for injuries. The bandaged soldier glances up, and for a brief moment, he and David exchange eye contact.

David goes through the tent flaps, “Hey, is everything okay?”

Medic doing the examining, “He’s a bit banged up, but in one piece.”

David, “That’s cool. Uh, can I talk to him?”

Medic: “Sure thing.” He leaves.

David turns to the soldier, “Hey, are you all right?”

Bandaged: “Yeah, I’m fine.”

David: “I’m David, by the way. Pvt. David Shepherd. Nice to meet you.”

Bandaged, “Yeah.”

David stands there, kind of awkwardly, “Uh, do you mind if I ask your name?”

Bandaged, “Jack.”

David, “Okay. Hi, Jack. Where are you from?”

Jack, “Shiloh.”

David, “Cool. I’m from Bethlehem, far away from the big city. Grew up on a farm. I’ll probably go back there when I leave the army,” he falters awkwardly, “So, uh, what do you think you’re gonna do when your enlistment’s up?”

Jack, “Be king.”

David laughs, “King? Good luck with that, man!”

In the doorway, Eli calls for David. David looks back at Jack, reaches over and pats his shoulder, “You take care, man.” He heads over to where Eli is calling for him, “What?”

Eli, “King Silas is coming!”

David, “What?”

Eli, “I dunno, it just came in over the radio, King Silas is here!”

David, “For- for me?!” Eli shrugs.

There’s a commotion at the front of the tent, and Silas bursts in.

Eli immediately rushes to greet him, “Your majesty, it’s an honor to have you here-”

Silas pushes past him, “Where’s Jack?! Jack!” He rushes into the medic’s area, sees Jack, and hugs him as tightly as he can. David watches everything, slack-jawed. Jack looks up from over Silas’s shoulder, and makes eye contact with David. David puts two and two together and realizes he’s just saved the prince’s life.

  * David, in his uniform, nervously enters the overwhelming front entrance of the palace, and looks around.



Thomasina steps up, “You must be Private Shepherd.”

David, “Yes, I am.”

Thomasina, “My name is Thomasina Bright, I’m King Silas's personal secretary.”

David, “Very pleased to meet you, ma’am.”

Thomasina, “I’ll take you up to the residency. The other members of the royal family are very keen to meet you.”

David, “Okay.”

  * In the elevator, David awkwardly tries to make conversation, “So, uh, you… run the palace?”



Thomasina, “Among other things.”

David, “Wow. That’s got to be a really tough job.”

Thomasina, “It has its rewards.” The elevator dings open. Thomasina leads David down a hallway and opens a door. She leads David into a living room area where Jack sits on a sofa.

Thomasina, “Pvt. Shepherd is here to see you, your highness.”

Jack glances up at her, “Thanks.” He doesn’t get up.

Thomasina, “I’ll be leaving you two to enjoy your conversation.” She leaves.

David looks back, “Thanks!” He turns back around to face Jack, who still sits on the sofa and doesn’t make eye contact with him.

David makes an attempt at conversation, “I really should have put it together when you said you were gonna be king, but I didn’t realize you were _you_ until King Silas showed up.”

Jack, “I had a bandage on my face.”

David, “Yeah, but still, I can be really dumb sometimes. As if me facing down a tank didn’t tip you off.” He laughs, but Jack doesn’t. A door opens, and Michelle enters.

David, “Uh, hello, your highness.”

Michelle, “Are you Private Shepherd?”

David, “Yes, I am.” Michelle rushes over to him and gives him a huge hug. Jack looks away.

Michelle, “Thank you. Thank you so much. We can’t possibly thank you enough for what you did.”

David, “Just trying to do the right thing.”

Jack, “Geez, no need to be so enthusiastic.”

Michelle spins around, “Shut the fuck up, Jack, I don’t go where you work and knock the dicks out of your mouth!” David’s eyes widen in surprise and amazement.

Michelle looks back at him, and blushes slightly, “Oh, shit, I shouldn’t have said that.”

David, “No, no, it’s quite alright. I’m used to hearing that kind of language at the front, I’m just kind of surprised to hear it coming from a princess.”

Michelle laughs, “Yeah, my mom says I’m just like my dad, we both say fuck way too much.”

David, “It’s a great word to say! I’ve been saying it a lot lately, I mean, I go to sleep, and when I wake up, my name’s in all the headlines, and half of Gilboa has liked my selfies.”

Michelle, “Well, you gotta admit, they’re pretty nice selfies.” Jack rolls his eyes.

David, “People are even comparing me to Caesar Reinhardt, I mean- that’s insane! I only saved two soldiers, and he saved what, thirty?”

Michelle, “Reinhardt never saved a prince.”

David, “I guess so.”

Michelle, “Do you want to meet him? I actually think he’s gonna be at dinner tonight.”

David, “What?! Are you kidding me?! Yeah, I’d love to meet him!”

Michelle laughs, “I can arrange that. In the meantime, would you like to watch a movie or something?”

David, “A movie?”

Michelle, “There’s a private theater in the palace. Have you seen _Righteous_?”

David, “The one they made about the king? I- I mean, your dad? I’ve never seen it.”

Michelle gasps, “You’re kidding me!”

David shrugs, “I grew up on a farm. Never really had a whole lot of time for movies.”

Michelle grabs his arm, “That’s it, we’re watching _Righteous_. Come on, Jack!”

  * David sits in a darkened palace movie theater, Michelle beside him, Jack beside her. They all eat popcorn. David slurps an icee.



Michelle, jubilant, “I can’t fucking believe you haven’t seen _Righteous_. It’s me and Jack’s favorite movie. I mean, it’s about our dad, so of course we’re gonna love it, but it’s our fucking favorite movie.”

David, “Well, I’m glad I haven’t seen it, then, because how many people get to watch it for the first time with the prince and princess?” He glances at Jack, who sips from his soda and doesn’t share Michelle’s enthusiasm.

The film begins: _Righteous: The Story of King Silas_. An actor Silas (Chris Evans in a dark wig) wears army fatigues and stands at the front gate of an idyllic farmhouse with his parents, Chris and Suzanne.

Silas, “I’m gonna make you proud, Dad!”

Chris, “I am proud of you, son!”

In the theater, David whispers to Michelle, “So, are those your grandparents?”

Michelle, “Who else would they be?”

David, “First time I’ve heard anything about Silas having parents.”

Michelle shrugs, “They died before we were born, so we’ve never met them. Dad showed up a picture of them once, I think. Anyway, shut up, it’s gonna get good in a second!”

On screen, Silas reports to Sergeant Samuels (Idris Elba), “I’m here to fight for my country, sir!”

An actor Abner (idk Andrew Garfield?) sneers at him, “Being too eager will get you filled with bullets.”

Silas, “I’m not afraid. The Phils oughta be afraid of me.”

Cut to: Silas, Abner, and Samuels are pinned down in a foxhole.

Samuels screams into his radio, “We need backup! We’ve got at least a dozen Phils firing on us! Do you read me?!”

Abner, “Oh my god, we’re gonna die!”

Silas: “Shut up, Linus!” He grits his teeth and fires back at the enemy soldiers. He looks around, assessing their positions, and forming a plan in his head.

Silas: “You have to cover me!”

Abner: “What?!”

Silas: “Cover me!” Silas climbs out of their ditch and runs toward the Gath soldiers while Abner provides cover fire.

Samuels yells after him, “Benjamin! Benjamin!” He gives up yelling and provides more cover fire. In the theater, David makes a series of incredulous facial expressions along with the sound of movie action.

Michelle and Jack scream in unison with the film, “DIE, YOU DIRTY FUCKING PHIL!” and they both cackle and throw popcorn at the screen.

In the movie, Abner vows to Silas, “You’ve saved my life. I’m never gonna leave your side. I will follow you to the gates of hell, Silas!”

David casts a quick, awkward glance at Jack, and sees that Jack is looking at him. They both look away.

On screen, a crown of butterflies lands on Silas’s head.

Cut to Rose (Scarlett Johanssen) tearily begs Silas, “I can’t bear to just sit by while you go into another battle!”

Silas, “I have to Rose, I have a duty to Gilboa!”

Rose, “Silas, I’m pregnant!”

Silas, “Pregnant!”

Rose, “With twins!”

Silas, “Twins!”

David, “No offense, but I’m pretty sure I could write a better screenplay than this.”

Michelle, “Shut the fuck up, this is _poetry_!” Jack snickers, and David has to laugh at little bit, too. Jack hears David laughing and stops.

On screen, Silas stands on the front, looking at a sunset, Abner and Samuels behind him, “The only way to have peace between Gath and Gilboa is for one to no longer exist.”

Samuels, “You can’t destroy all of Gath!”

Silas, “I can’t. But I can do the next best thing.” He marches with determination towards the setting sun.

In a tent, Premier Achison sits, “As the Premier of Gath, I must do everything I can to stop Gilboa!”

Silas jumps out of the folds of the tent, and stabs Premier Achison in the heart, “As a Gilboan soldier, I must do everything I can to kill you!”

David, “Okay, that is not how it happened! There’s no way Achison wouldn’t have any security!”

Michelle, “Who the fuck cares? Dad killed him, and Gath surrendered to Gilboa.”

On screen, Silas, wearing a crown, Rose behind him holding two rosy-cheeked, dark-haired toddlers, gives an address, “God has called upon me to lead Gilboa, and I hereby answer His call!”

Michelle, “We can show you some pictures of the coronation, you want to see them?”

David, “Maybe later. I’ve got to get ready for dinner tonight.”

Michelle, “Right, shit! Well, sorry for filling you up on popcorn.”

David, “Nah, I actually really enjoyed the film.”

Michelle, flirtily, “I knew you’d love it.”

David, “Yeah, I think I might understand the two of you a little bit better now.”

Jack gets up, “I’ve got to get ready.” He leaves, and David watches him.

David, “Does he hate me or something?”

Michelle, “Jack’s an asshole. Seriously, don’t worry about him.”

David, “I talked to him a little bit on the front, and he seemed friendly enough, then. I guess I just expected him to be a little… warmer to me, I guess.”

Michelle sighs sadly, “Listen, Jack puts on this party hard playboy act, but the truth is, he’s got a lot of weight on his shoulders, being the heir and all. He acts like he doesn’t care about things, but he does. If anything, I’d be willing to bet that he’s actually deeply grateful for what you did, he just doesn’t know how to show it. So give him time. He’ll warm up. It might take a while, but, he’ll warm up. I promise.”

David smiles a little bit, “Okay. I do want him to like me.”

Michelle, “Trust me, if he doesn’t like you, he’s the only person in Gilboa who feels that way.”

**ep 2: “Hail, Caesar!”**

(note: in able to make my universe work, I had to create Silas's secret police force, the Ministry of State Security. It's led by handsome asshole hero, Caesar Reinhardt)

([“High on Life” Rasputina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGdKhrt0svo)) Reinhardt (dream cast: Chris Pine) does something heroic, idk. Silas gives him a medal in an elaborate ceremony. He struts around the palace, women want him, men want to be him. (Montage!)

o Present-day Reinhardt wakes up, effortlessly handsome, beside his beautiful wife, Lydia.

o David slams his alarm clock.

o Some Poor Girl wakes up in Jack’s bed, Jack not beside her.

o Reinhardt goes about his morning routine, shaving, combing his hair.

o David brushes and flosses his teeth.

o SPG goes into Jack’s living room and sees Jack making himself some eggs.

SPG, “Are you making me breakfast?”

Jack, “Nope!”

o David takes a shirtless mirror selfie.

o Reinhardt gets dressed in a snazzy suit.

o David puts his uniform on.

o SPG sits down at Jack’s dining table, looking confused.

Jack sets his plate of eggs down, “There’s a restaurant downstairs if you want to eat.”

o Reinhardt kisses Lydia goodbye as he heads off to work, a perfect 1950s young White married couple stereotype.

o David waits at a bus stop and nervously checks his watch.

o SPG, “I had a really good time last night.”

Jack, dismissively, “Uh-huh.”

o David sits on a city bus, nervously going over his morning briefs on a tablet. A few seats away, a couple of excited girls whisper and giggle as they stare at him, unnoticed.

o SPG, “I- I’d like to see you again.”

Jack glares at her, and then sighs heavily, “I know what you’re going for. You want to marry a prince, don’t you?”

SPG, nervously, “I enjoyed my time with you. I guess it doesn’t hurt to think about the future.”

Jack puts on a condescending smile, “Let me tell you something. No self-respecting prince is going to marry a dumb slut like you.” He pats her on the head, and then stands up and clears his food away.

o David approaches the front of the palace. A group of excited girls convenes at the top of the steps.

One of them spots David, “Look, there he is!” they rush over to him, and he’s suddenly swamped, “Uh, hi, n-nice to meet all of you!”

SPG storms out of the front doors of the palace, and casts a furious glance at the mob surrounding David. David frantically tries to give autographs and take selfies.

Reinhardt does his morning strut towards the palace, and then sees the mob. He laughs and goes towards it. Like Moses parting the Red Sea, he cuts through the fangirls, “One of the perks of being a hero, huh?” He puts his arm around David and leads him away.

David looks back, “It was nice meeting all of you!” (end music)

  * In the palace lobby, Reinhardt says, “How’s it feel to have fangirls, Captain?”



David, “Terrifying.”

Reinhardt, “If you always wanted to try something kinky but were too afraid to ask about it, now’s the time to do it. Lemme tell you, those fangirls are _nasty_.”

David, “Okay. I’ll remember that.”

Jack walks into the lobby, spots David and Reinhardt, and immediately turns the other way, but not before Reinhardt spots him, “Your Highness!”

Jack makes an exaggerated grimace and turns back around, “Yes?”

Reinhardt, “Come here, Captain Shepherd could use your advice.”

Gritting his teeth, Jack approaches.

Reinhardt, “Captain Shepherd has fangirls. That’s something you have plenty of experience with, isn’t it?”

Jack, “Yes.”

Reinhardt, “So what advice to you have for him?”

Jack, annoyed, “Never stick your dick in crazy.”

Reinhardt, “Solid advice.”

David, “How do you know which ones are crazy?”

Reinhardt, “They’re all crazy.”

Jack, “Just stay away from the ones that seem really desperate.”

Reinhardt, “And if you’re looking for a wife, avoid the fangirls. You want a girl with some actual self-respect.”

David, “Okay.”

Reinhardt, “I knew I was going to marry Lydia the moment I met her because she threw a drink in my face and called me a fuckin’ prick.”

David, “That’s healthy.”

Reinhardt laughs, “Just don’t read the fanfiction.”

David, “The what?”

Reinhardt, “I can’t imagine what kind of fantasies they’re writing about you and Jack!”

Jack, simmering, “Shut the fuck up.”

David, “I- have to get going to work.”

Reinhardt, “You know, Captain, I’d like to get to know you better. Would you care to join Lydia and me for dinner?”

David, “That sounds wonderful.”

Reinhardt, “Maybe you can even find a date.”

David tries to laugh, “Maybe.”

Reinhardt, “I’ll text you the details later. In the meantime, I also have to get going. I’ll see you later."

David, “Yeah, see you.” David looks at Jack, “I guess I should get going, too. Are you doing anything?”

Jack, “Like tonight?”

David, “I dunno. Never mind, I need to get to work. I’ll see you later.” He goes off, and Jack stares at him.

  * Fancy-ass restaurant, David gets led to a table where Reinhardt and his insanely gorgeous wife, Lydia (dream cast: Gal Gadot), sit.



Reinhardt rises to greet him, “Captain Shepherd, what a pleasure to see you this evening! I’m surprised to see you still in uniform.”

David shakes his hand, “It’s the only nice suit I have. I’m glad to be here, Director.”

Reinhardt, “Allow me to introduce my wife, Lydia.”

Lydia extends her hand, “Very pleased to meet you.”

David, “Pleased to meet you.”

Reinhardt, “Please, sit.” They all sit.

David looks nervously at the menu.

Reinhardt, “Have you eaten here before, Captain?”

David, “No. As a matter of fact, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten at a place this expensive!”

Reinhardt, “Don’t you worry about the price. I’ll pay for everything tonight.”

David, “No, that’s really not-”

Reinhardt, “It’s the least I can do. Get whatever you want. I’d hate to see you waste this opportunity for fear of being impolite. The steak here is excellent.”

David, “Okay.”

Reinhardt, “In fact, the 16-ounce porterhouse sounds absolutely divine.”

David looks flummoxed over the fancy menu.

Reinhardt, “Tell me about yourself, Captain. I hear you’re from the borderlands.”

David, “Please, just call me David. And, yes, I’m from a town called Bethlehem, well, a farm near there.”

Reinhardt, “My family is from the borderlands, as well. I grew up in a town called Onion Creek. My father was the school superintendent. He still is, actually. When I turned eighteen, I couldn’t sign up for the army fast enough.”

David, “I got drafted.”

Reinhardt, “A lot of good soldiers start out as draftees. But, I can tell from your actions, you’re a patriotic Gilboan, aren’t you?”

David, “Yes, I’m honored to serve my king and my country as best I can.”

Reinhardt smiles seductively, “I’m thrilled to hear this. I suppose by now you’re starting to guess why I invited you to dinner, aren’t you?”

David, “Um… Are you trying to get me to join the MSS?” He smiles nervously.

Reinhardt, “You are smart. I’ll tell you, David, you are much more than your average draftee. I think intelligence and bravery like yours could greatly benefit the MSS. I’m not just recruiting you, I’m offering you a very important position.”

David, “Uh, wow, I- I’m flattered, um-”

A waiter appears, “Are you ready to order?”

Reinhardt, “Yes, I’ll have the 16-ounce porterhouse and a bottle your best red wine.”

Lydia, “I’ll have the seared prawns.”

David, “Uh, yeah, I’ll have what he’s having.”

The waiter takes their menus and leaves.

Reinhardt, “David, I can put you directly in charge of investigating and apprehending enemies of the state, and enemies of the king.”

David, “That’s a really impressive offer, I won’t lie, but, I have to think about it.”

Reinhardt raises his eyebrows, “I must say, I’m a bit shocked. I thought for sure a man who wishes to serve his country would gladly take such an important job.”

David, “I like the army.”

Lydia speaks up, “You know, I was honestly quite surprised when Caesar told me that he’d joined the MSS. I thought he liked combat too much to do all the stuffy desk work the MSS does. Then, Caesar discovered a planned insurgency and stopped it in its tracks. It’s how he rose so quickly through the ranks.”

David, “Really? I hadn’t heard this.”

Reinhardt, “You haven’t heard of it because I’m good at my job.”

David smiles awkwardly, not really knowing what to say, “I- I like the army.”

Reinhardt, “Your brother and your father both died in the army, didn’t they?”

David nods uncomfortably, “Y-yes, they did.”

Reinhardt, “It must have been awkward, being the youngest of seven boys. Eli, Arthur, Sean, Ethan, Robert, James, and then, David. You never got paid much attention, did you? Always the baby, never really taken seriously, everyone knew your brothers and expected you to be just like them. There’s very little room for individuality in a large family like that. I’d imagine to suddenly be recognized, to stand above your brothers and leave them behind you, it must be disorienting. You must enjoy the notoriety.”

David, “I- I never felt ignored or looked down upon-”

Reinhardt, “But did you ever feel respected?”

David stares at him, not knowing what to say.

Reinhardt, “David, I’m not just offering you a job. I’m offering you respect and recognition. You have shown the world that you are indeed special. Please, allow me to take that specialness to its fullest potential.”

David takes in a deep breath, “Trust me, I am very flattered-”

Reinhardt, “But what? Are you afraid of something?”

David, “I just don’t know if the MSS is really what I want to be doing.”

Reinhardt, “If not the MSS, what do you want to be doing?”

David, “I don’t know. I really don’t know. But I think I’ll figure it out sooner or later. Maybe it involves the MSS, but, I still need to figure a lot of things out.”

Reinhardt, “I’ll give you time to think, but I won’t give you time to hesitate. Hesitation only hurts men like you and me, David. So think, and then get back to me when you know.”

**David’s on TV:** Knock at the front door of the residence.

Michelle answers it, and finds David standing on the other side of the door. She smiles brightly at him, “Hi.”

David, “Um, hi. So what is it you wanted me to see?”

Michelle, “I’ve got a surprise for you,” she gestures for him to follow her, “Come on.” David follows obediently.

In the living room, Michelle, “Sit down.” David sits and watches Michelle disappear into the kitchen for a moment, and re-emerge carrying a tub of ice cream and two spoons.

David, “You wanted me to see ice cream?”

Michelle, sits down next to him, “No, this is just to eat.” She hands him a spoon.

They both sit on the couch, eating ice cream, watching TV. TV announcer voice, “We now go live to the palace where Captain David Shepherd will be giving a daily news conference…” A skinny comedian stands behind a podium, wearing an army uniform and a blonde wig.

David’s eyes widen in shock, “Holy- What the FUCK!”

Michelle laughs, “I got tipped off that _Late Night_ was gonna do a sketch of you tonight. I’m sorry, there’s no way I was gonna pass up seeing your face when you saw it happen.” David gawks at the TV.

The comedian, in a charming, air-headed tone, “Yeah, um, I just wanted to say that uh, the army’s doing just fine, and Gilboa is awesome, and uh, King Silas is the best.”

David, “My mom’s gonna see this!”

Michelle, “Oh, come on, it’s funny!”

David, completely dumbstruck, “I… I guess…”

Michelle, “What? It’s funny!”

David, “Two weeks ago I was just another nameless, faceless soldier, okay? I’m still kind of getting used to all this shit.”

Michelle, “What, do you not like it?”

David, “I…”

On screen, the comedian rips off his army jacket to reveal a muscle costume underneath, and strikes a pose like Michelangelo’s David. He gets mauled by fangirls.

David, “I honestly have no words. I’m just a dumbass from Bethlehem.”

Michelle, “Yeah, well, you’re a very special dumbass from Bethlehem.”

David blushes, “Stop."

Michelle, “Hey, at least this is flattering. You’ve seen the sketches they do about Jack, right?”

David, “Yeah, they’re actually really funny.”

Michelle, “I know, right?! Jack’s such an asshole about what people think of him. It’s like he wants people to take him seriously and then he goes and does all the stupid shit people make fun of him for.”

David, “There’s not a whole lot of sketches about you out there. You’re always the straight man to Silas or Jack.”

Michelle, “Yep, always the perfect frigid little princess.”

David, “Better than being mocked.”

Michelle, “Eh, Dad thinks the sketches of him are hilarious. So at least someone in this family is capable of laughing at himself.”

The door opens, and Silas enters. David leaps to his feet, “Sir!”

Silas casts David a suspicious look, “Am I interrupting a date?”

David, “No, sir, Michelle just invited me to watch _Late Night_ , uh… I just saw myself parodied on TV for the first time.”

Silas grins, “How do you like it?”

David, “It’s kind of weird.”

Silas, “It’s a good kind of weird, though, isn’t it?”

David, “I guess so.”

Silas, “I assume you’ll be leaving as soon as it’s over?”

David, “Oh, of course.”

Michelle makes a face, trying to stifle a stab of frustration. She keeps a tense smile on her face, “Don’t worry about us, Dad. We won’t get in any trouble.”

Silas, “Good. If you try anything, Shepherd, just remember I’ve got more guns tucked in hiding places around here than I can keep track of.”

Michelle, “DAD!”

David, “I will keep that in mind sir!”

Silas leaves, “Good night.”

David, “Good night!”

Michelle, muttering, “Jesus fucking christ, Dad. We’re just watching TV.”

David looks back at her and says somewhat suggestively, “I’d say were doing more than that…” Michelle looks at him. He grins playfully, “We’re eating ice cream.”

Michelle, “The sketch is over. I think you’d better leave, David.”

David, “Yeah, I’ll get going.” He stands up, “Thanks for inviting me over, though. Sometimes I need someone to remind me to laugh.”

Michelle, trying not to blush, “Yeah, no problem.”

David, “Well, good night, then.”

Michelle, “Good night.”

David leaves. When the door closes, Michelle heaves a huge sigh of frustration, but then gathers herself together, and goes into her bedroom.

  * Michelle stands in her room, and unzips her dress, revealing surprisingly sexy lingerie underneath, contrasting with her proper, girlish dress. She turns around and reveals a scar running down the middle of her chest, going from collarbone to sternum. She looks at herself in the mirror, covers her scar with her hand, trying to hide it. She sits down on her bed and takes her bra off.



She takes her phone and takes a series of her own sexy selfies, posing provocatively and playfully. Finally, she reaches down into her panties and begins to pleasure herself. She moves her hand and hips slowly and rhythmically, getting lost in the bliss of it. She builds herself to a climax, gasping and grasping at the pillows with her fee hand. She collapses back into her bed, panting, shaken out of her fantasy. She gets up and puts a plain nightdress on.

**Jack takes David to a club** : they start out a high-end club where they meet Wednesday. David flirts with a guy, Jack sees it, and gets in a fight. David is clearly uncomfortable. Wednesday suggests to take him somewhere interesting. The go to a seedy part of town, into a scary-ass looking warehouse. ([“Light in Places” Peaches](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHD2QqjcnR4)) Underground radical political queer art club/rave, full of freaks, punks, and weirdos, standing in stark contrast to anything we’ve previously seen of Gilboa. A butch, goth woman does incredible pole dancing tricks. Another performer vogues furiously on stage, and David tries to mimic the movements. Monique Magnifique makes her appearance, looking like a glorious and terrifying angel of defiance and victory, carrying a flaming sword. She delivers a powerful pro-liberation monologue, mocking Silas, Rose, and First Night.

She points David out in the crowd, and the crowd stops and stares at him. “You call yourself a hero. Who are you the hero of?”

Wednesday says he’s with her, “Be nice to him. He’s new.”

Monique with a wicked, knowing smile: “Have you seen all that our King has to offer to his people?”

Wednesday: “Are you going to perform or give us another political lecture?”

Monique: “I’m here to perform tonight. But consider, hero, what it is you’re fighting for. This club is illegal, and my performance is a crime. My very identity and existence are both crimes. You being here is a crime. What are you fighting for, hero?”

Monique spins around and gives her performance as David watches, entranced.

Wednesday’s phone buzzes. She tells David that Jack is furious with them, and he wants them to go to his apartment.

On the drive there, David: “I liked that place. I’ve never seen a performance like that.”

Wednesday: “I’m glad you had fun. Monique’s an old friend of mine. I thought she’d like to meet you.”

David: “What was all that hero shit about, though? Why’d she ask me what I’m fighting for?”

Wednesday: “Not everyone in Gilboa is a huge fan of King Silas.”

David: “What? Why?”

Wednesday: “You _are_ new here, aren’t you? Monique’s been arrested more times than I can count, but she keeps putting places like that together, where people can express themselves the way they want to, create art that scares the kind of people who buy tickets to First Night. It’d be nice if she could do that all legally.” They go back to Jack’s.

(in general, there’s a LOT more of Reverend Samuels. He’s basically Silas’s mentor/replacement dad. As such, Silas both hates him and desperately needs his love and approval. Their relationship is exactly 5% “Please love me” 15% “OMG what do I do?!” and 80% “WHATEVER YOU AREN’T MY REAL DAD.”)

**Blackout:** Michelle and Jack stand around, watching guests arrive.

Jack, “I’m staying here an hour, max.”

Michelle, “David’s been invited.”

Jack, “Make it a half-hour, then.”

Michelle, “Don’t be such an asshole. He fucking saved your life and he’s really nice. Do you just not like nice people?”

Jack, “You can like him, then, but I’m still getting out of here as soon as I can.”

Rose approaches, a pretty society girl beside her, “Jack, I have someone I’d like you to meet.”

Jack casts an appraising look at the girl, “Yeah?”

Rose, “This is Sylvia Gilliam.”

Jack, “Hi.”

Rose leans in and quietly hisses between gritted teeth, “ _Talk to her_.”

Jack sighs with annoyance.

Sylvia, “It’s nice to meet you, Your Highness.”

Jack, forced, “Nice to meet you, too.”

Rose, “I’ll leave you two to talk.”

Michelle, “I see David. Good fucking luck, Jack,” she goes up to David, “Hi!”

David, “Hi! Uh, I didn’t get a gift, I’m not sure what exactly you’re supposed to give a king.”

Michelle, “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad you’re here.”

David, “I’m glad I’m here, too. Where’s Jack?”

Michelle, “Mom’s trying to set him up with some girl. Don’t worry about him.”

David, “Okay.”

Elsewhere Silas chats with Reverend Samuels.

Samuels, “Tell me, how has Captain Shepherd taken to working at the palace?”

Silas, “Oh, he’s fine. Honestly, I’m tired of hearing about how much everyone loves him.”

Samuels, “His popularity can only be good for the palace.”

Silas, “He can’t be more popular than the king.”

Samuels, “I’ve never known you to feel threatened, Silas.”

Silas, “I’m not threatened! I just need to be reassured of his loyalty.”

David approaches, Michelle beside him. David, “Happy birthday, sir!”

Silas, “Speak of the devil. Good evening, Captain Shepherd.”

David, “I’m sorry I couldn’t get you a gift. You keep me very busy.”

Silas, “Ah, I don’t even open most of the gifts I receive. I have no idea what happens to them. I can do without another pair of cufflinks. Ephraim didn’t get me anything, either.”

David smiles at Samuels, “Reverend! It’s great to see you!”

Samuels, “Pleasure to see you, too, Captain. Perhaps instead of a gift, you can play something for all of us.”

Silas, “That won’t be necessary.”

Michelle, “Oh, come on, Dad, David’s really good.”

Silas, “I know he’s good, but tonight’s supposed to be about me, isn’t it?”

David, “I’ll leave you alone, then.”

Michelle rolls her eyes, “It’s always about you, Dad.” She takes David’s arm and leads him off.

Samuels, gently sarcastic, “Clearly, he’s a dangerous subversive.”

Silas, “My gut tells me he’s up to something, and my gut is never wrong.”

Samuels, “I should be leaving. I have a lot of work I need to be attending to, but I wanted to at least come out and wish my king a happy birthday.”

Silas, “You be off, then. I’m still keeping an eye on Shepherd.”

Elsewhere, David dances cutely with Michelle.

Jack sits next to Sylvia, bored and frustrated.

Sylvia drones on, “I thought I was taking a risk wearing a green dress tonight. Green is usually not my color, but I like this shade. I usually look better in red. Do I look okay?”

Jack, “You look fucking hideous.”

In another place, Silas watches David and Michelle, warily, “He’s dancing with Michelle, Rose.”

Rose smiles, “They’re a very attractive couple.”

Silas, “He’s trying to defile her.”

Rose, “Oh, don’t talk like that, Silas. She’s not a little girl anymore. She can make her own decisions.”

Silas, “She made one very important decision, and Shepherd is trying to undo it.”

Rose, “There are much worse things that could happen to her than ending up with the likes of Captain Shepherd. He’s kind, he’s clean, he’s intelligent, and I’m sure any children will be just as handsome as he is.”

Silas, “Michelle can’t have children.”

Rose, “Yes, she can. There’s risk, of course, but with careful monitoring by doctors, there’s no reason Michelle couldn’t give us a healthy heir.”

Silas, “With the last name Shepherd.”

Rose, “It may be the best option. It’s better than nothing.”

Silas, “It’s unacceptable.”

Rose, “Silas, look at your daughter. She’s all grown up. She’s become a woman, and a beautiful one, at that. She’ll have more suitors coming for her soon. None of them will be better than David. I promise you that. And besides, I seem to remember how my father disapproved of me seeing a similar young army hero…”

Silas, “This is completely different, and you know it.”

Suddenly, the power goes out. Emergency lights flick on. David and Michelle both look around in surprise.

Sylvia clings to Jack’s arms, “I’m scared!”

Jack peels her away, “Get off!”

Silas speaks up, “It’s all right! Stay calm! It’s just a blackout! I’ll make some phone calls, have everything restored in no time!”

Michelle, “Oh, for fuck’s sake!”

David, “Well, now I can officially say I’ve blacked out at a party.”

Michelle rolls her eyes and says playfully, “Oh, shut up.”

David, “If there’s enough of an outage, I bet we can see the stars. You want to go look?”

Michelle grins, “Okay.” He leads her away.

Jack gets up and walks away from Sylvia.

Sylvia, “Where are you going?”

Jack, “I’m leaving!”

  * Out on a balcony, David and Michelle look up.



David, “The whole city’s blacked out! I can’t believe it!”

Michelle, “Dad’s been fighting to fix the infrastructure for years. Utility companies are a bitch to work with.”

David, “Hm. Out in the country, it gets so dark you can see the Milky Way. It’s really incredible. I used to go camping with my dad and my brothers, just so we could look at the stars.”

In the mall below, a sports car engine sounds. David looks down and sees Jack pulling out.

David, “Where’s he going?”

Michelle looks down, “Fuck if I know. I’m sure he had plans. Besides, what better time than a blackout to go sneaking around. You can be anyone you want to be, and Jack’s always trying to be someone else.”

David, “Hm,” he has an idea, “Do you want to go sneak off somewhere, be someone else?”

Michelle, “What?”

David, “I dunno. I just… coming to Shiloh, I’ve been exposed to a lot of really interesting, really crazy new things, and, tonight might be a good chance to go… get exposed to more. Do you want to come with me?”

Michelle grins, “Okay.”

  * At Joseph’s apartment, Jack knocks on the door.



Joseph answers, “What?” He sees Jack standing there, and grins mischievously, “I knew your thirsty ass would be here.”

Jack starts making out with him, and Joseph shuts the door behind them.

  * A car drops David and Michelle off in a shitty neighborhood.



Michelle looks around, “Oh my god. Where are we? I’ve never been in this part of the city!”

David, “Don’t worry, I’ve got some friends who live here. Come on.” He leads her up the stairs  
of a run-down building and knocks on the door.

Wednesday answers, “David!” She looks over at Michelle, “Glad to see you brought a date. Come in.” She leads them into a cheaply but fabulously-decorated apartment, illuminated with candles and battery-powered lighting devices.

Wednesday, “Some friends of mine decided to show up.”

A group of colorful individuals, Monique in the middle, look up.

Someone, “Holy shit, Wednesday, what kind of friends do you keep?”

Wednesday, “He’s a work acquaintance, but I happen to like him,” she looks back over at them, “I’m assuming she’s his date.”

Monique, “David is cool. Never met the princess before, though.” She stands up, half in drag, wearing a robe, “My name is Monique Magnifique, very pleased to meet you, Your Highness.”

Michelle, “Nice to meet you, Miss… Magnifique.” Everyone laughs.

Monique, “Please, I’m just Monique. I’m assuming you know Wednesday.”

Michelle, “Yeah, I’ve met her before.”

Monique points to everyone else in the room, “This is my boyfriend, DeMarcus.” DeMarcus says hello.

Monique goes on, “And these creatures are Milan, Chartreuse, Sensation, and Porcelain.” Monique looks back at them, “This is Captain Shepherd.”

David, “It’s very nice to meet all of you.”

Chartreuse laughs, “Dear lord, how country is this boy? Are we actually supposed to bring him with us? Dressed like that?”

Monique, “DeMarcus some boy clothes that he might be able to borrow.”

Michelle, nervously, “It’s almost nine o’clock, you’re still getting ready?”

Monique, “You don’t leave the palace much, do you, baby?”

Michelle, “Where are you going, anyway? The power is out across the entire city.”

Monique, “We are going to heaven. It has a generator. But you need to be wearing something else. Luckily, I can fix that.”

Cut to: David pulls on a black shirt over a pair of tight black pants. In the background, Milan, Chartreuse, Sensation, and Porcelain gawk.

Milan, “God _damn_ , boy, your abs have abs.”

David, “Nothing better to do on the front than working out.”

Porcelain, “I regret marking ‘homosexual’ on my draft card.”

Sensation, “Girl, you didn’t have to mark nothing for them to know your ass is homosexual.”

Wednesday laughs, “You need a few final touches. Come here, David. Sit down.”

David sits on a table. Wednesday angles a light on his face, and then goes over and gets a makeup kit.

Wednesday, “I’ve had my power turned off enough times that I’m pretty good at putting makeup on in the dark, don’t worry.”

David, “Makeup?”

Wednesday, “Do you want to blend in, or do you want to show up as Captain Shepherd?”

David, “Just not too much.”

Wednesday, “Do way too much, I hear ya.”

  * In Monique’s room, Michelle nervously looks over a selection of dresses, “Do you have anything with a higher neckline?”



Monique, “You got nice titties, you should show them off.”

Michelle, “I- I kind of have a scar on my chest. It’s really big.”

Monique, “So?”

Michelle, “It’s ugly.”

Monique, “Scars are never ugly. A scar means you’ve survived something!”

  * Out in the living room, David is done up with eyeliner, purple streaks in his hair, and a light dusting of glitter.



Monique, fully dressed up, enters with a flourish, “I present to you all: Melancholy!”

Michelle steps out behind her, completely unrecognizable in a sexy goth make-over. Her scar is visible, with an elaborate pair of wings painted around it. Everyone cheers and applauds.

David, “Wow, you look amazing!”

Wednesday, “Nobody is better at disguises than Monique.”

Michelle laughs, “I love these shoes! I’m finally tall!” She looks down at the sexy platforms that she’s wearing.

Monique, “Let’s get going.”

  * In his office, Silas screams into his phone, “Why are the lights not on yet?! This is completely unacceptable!”



Rose enters, watches him for a moment, and sits down.

Silas, “It needs to be fucking fixed!” He slams the phone down. He glances over at Rose, “They say they’re fixing it.”

Rose, “I told everyone to leave. There’s no use keeping everyone here.”

Silas grimaces, “Might as well. Where’s Michelle?”

Rose, “I think she left.”

Silas, “SHE WHAT?!”

Rose, “She’s with Captain Shepherd, so she’s well-protected.”

Silas, “Tell security to find her and bring her back!”

Rose, “Silas, we can’t keep her locked up in a tower forever.”

Silas shakes his head, “She never used to run away like this until Shepherd showed up.”

Rose, “If it weren’t Shepherd, it would be some other boy, I promise you. And you can’t stop her. She’s _your_ daughter, after all.”

Silas sits down with a heavy sigh, and rubs his forehead, “I keep hearing Shepherd get compared to me.”

Rose, “Reinhardt got compared to you, too.”

Silas, “Those comparisons never lasted this long.”

Rose, “That’s because you immediately shut Reinhardt away in the MSS, whereas Shepherd makes a press announcement every day. Maybe a simple re-assignment is all he needs.”

Silas, “Reinhardt already tried to recruit him, he turned it down.”

Rose, “He won’t refuse his king.”

Silas, “I suppose you’re right. It’s too easy, though. Reinhardt immediately proved to be trustworthy. I can’t figure Shepherd out.”

Rose, “Reinhardt never went after Michelle because she was twelve at the time, and sick. Don’t delude yourself about him. It was clear to me the moment I met him that he wanted the throne, and he still does. He’d marry Michelle in a heartbeat, if he weren’t already married.”

Silas, “And because he’s already married, I don’t worry about him.”

Rose, “David is decent, Silas. He’d be a good son-in-law, and you know it.”

Silas sighs deeply, “I guess she could be chasing after some anarchist.”

Rose smiles, “I knew you would come around.”

  * Outside of a warehouse, a few colorful strobe lights shine in the window.



Monique leads everyone up to the doorman, “Come on, Everett, you know who we are, let us in.”

Everett points to David and Michelle, “Who the hell are they?”

Monique, “Melancholy and her pet boy.”

Everett, “Does he have a name?”

Monique, “It’s Boy.”

Everett, “Since when do you start inviting straight people, Monique?”

David, “Not exactly straight.”

Everett, “Bitch, please, getting pegged does not make you queer.” Michelle giggles.

Monique, “Are you gonna let us in or not?”

Everett, “Fine!”

  * Inside, David and Michelle dance in a makeshift rave. Michelle totally lets loose, dancing like she’s been released from bondage. She trips, and David catches her, their faces inches away from each other.



David, “Are you okay?”

Michelle, “I’m wonderful!”

David looks around, “Do you want to go some place quieter?”

Michelle, “Okay!”

  * Up on the rooftop, David leads Michelle by the hand. He spots Monique, Wednesday, and their group of friends, smoking weed and laughing.



David, “I thought we’d have some privacy, but I guess not.”

Michelle, “Let’s go join them!” They approach.

Wednesday spots them, “Hi. You want some?”

David, “Uh…”

Michelle, “Sure!” She sits down, Wednesday passes her a joint. Michelle, “I have to confess, I’ve never done this before.”

Wednesday, “Just inhale, and then hold it for a moment.”

Michelle, “Okay.” She takes drag, waits a moment, and then sputters coughing. Everyone but David laughs.

Monique, “There’s nothing like the first time, is it?”

David points at the stars, “There’s Orion. See his belt?”

Everyone looks up.

Monique, “What about it?”

David, “How often do you get to look at the stars in the middle of a city? It’s the one thing about living in the country that I’ve really come to miss.”

Monique, “I never really thought about the stars that much. I guess growing up in a city, you learn not to miss them.”

David, “My dad used to take me out and tell me the stories of all the constellations.” He points to another point in the sky, “See that? That’s Taurus.”

Monique, “I’m a Taurus!”

David, “Some people say Orion is holding up a shield to defend himself from Taurus, other see him as drawing a bow and arrow. Orion was this great hunter, favored by Zeus. He was out hunting one day, and he saw Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and a sworn virgin, bathing in a stream. As a punishment, she sent a scorpion to kill him.”

Monique laughs, “Serves his ass right! Slay any man who don’t understand that no means no!”

Wednesday, “Amen!”

David goes on, “So now, the scorpion chases Orion eternally across the sky. When Orion is no longer visible in the Northern Hemisphere, Scorpio becomes visible.”

Michelle, “I always liked Artemis. Related to her a lot. She even has a twin brother, too. My dad used to read to me when I was sick. I liked the books about the Greek myths.”

David keeps pointing, “There’s Leo, also know as the Nemean Lion slain by Hercules.”

Chartreuse, “Oh my god, do Virgo, I’m a Virgo!”

David looks around and points at a star, “There, that bright star is Spica. Traditionally, it’s drawn as a sheaf of wheat that the virgin is holding, which probably comes from the Babylonian grain goddess, Shala. You see it kind of makes a square with the other stars, that’s the virgin’s body. The stars to the east are the virgin’s head, and the stars to the west are the legs.”

Chartreuse, “That don’t look like any virgin I know!”

David, “Yeah, you kind of have to use your imagination with some of them.”

Wednesday, “It’s fucking beautiful.”

Monique, “Yeah, it is. What’s your sign, David?”

David, “Me? I’m a Sagittarius.”

Michelle, “I’m an Aquarius.” She giggles.

Monique, “Y’know, Sagittarius and Aquarius go good together!”

David and Michelle both laugh nervously.

Michelle, “Can I ask you a question?”

Monique, “Shoot.”

Michelle, “What are your real names?”

Monique laughs, “These are our real names, honey!”

Michelle, “I mean, yeah, okay, I get your name’s Monique, but like, do you have Magnifique as your last name on your driver’s license?”

Monique smirks, “Demarcus’s last name is Broadnax, so on my papers, my last name is Broadnax. On stage, however, it’s Magnifique.”

Wednesday, “My name is Claudia. Claudia Waters. But I prefer Wednesday. Wednesday has a lot more fun than Claudia does.”

Michelle, “Can I ask you another question?”

Wednesday, “What?”

Michelle, “I don’t know if it’s appropriate-”

Wednesday, “Go ahead. I’m more than happy to make you a little less sheltered.”

Michelle, “I know what you do… I’ve seen you with Jack and his friends. How do you end up doing that sort of thing?”

Wednesday, “Do you really want to know?”

Michelle, “Yeah.”

Wednesday, “You know, I grew up thinking I’d one day be attending royal events next to you- my parents did. My mother was from a wealthy family, and my father was a highly-respected political scholar. I was all set to live the socialite life. But then, one day, my father didn’t come home from work. The other faculty members at the university said they’d seen nothing out of the ordinary, but… some of them had expressed concerns about what he was teaching. He was too sympathetic to the revolutionaries he taught and studied. He too freely encouraged his students to learn radical philosophy. And everyone said they saw him leave like normal that day. He just never made it home. My mother tried to file a missing person report, but the police said they wouldn’t investigate. They told us that radicals tend to just disappear… up and leave their lives and families with no warning, leaving absolutely nothing behind. With no evidence of a crime, there was nothing to investigate.”

Michelle, “Did… did he just leave?”

Milan rolls her eyes, “The MSS got him, honey!”

Wednesday, “My mom got disinvited from all the social events she used to attend. Her friends stopped talking to her. She got cut off from her family’s money. But she still knew people. She began accepting money to go on dates with lonely men who used to be her contemporaries. When I turned eighteen, I started doing the same.”

Michelle, “I… I don’t know what to say to that.”

Wednesday, “You don’t need to say anything. It’s not like there’s anything you can do about it. And, hey, for as fucked up as it’s been, I can’t complain about where my life is right now. I get to go out and have fun. Learn a lesson about the stars. I got a shitty hand, but, I’ve made the best of it. I’m a Sagittarius, too, we always land on our feet,” she looks at David, “Where is Sagittarius?”

David, “Not visible at this time of the year.”

A light flicks on above them. Around them, the city illuminates.

Monique, “Guess we won’t be seeing any more stars tonight.”

Michelle, “We should probably be going back, then.”

David, “Yeah, I’ll take you back.”

Monique, “You should come and see me perform some time, Princess! Maybe I can expand your mind a little bit more!”

Wednesday, “She’s had enough mind-expanding for a while.”

  * At Joseph’s apartment, Jack gets dressed while Joseph lays in bed.



Joseph, “So you’re just gonna leave?”

Jack, “I kind of have to.”

Joseph rolls his eyes, “You don’t have to.”

Jack, “Yes, I do.”

Joseph, “Is this it, then, you only want to see me when it’s dark?”

Jack looks at him, “What the fuck else did you expect?”

Joseph, “Would be nice to see your face in the light of day, is all.”

Jack shakes his head, “Do not give me this shit. I thought you were different than all the other saps I usually date.”

Joseph, “So what am I? A convenient ass for you to stick it in when you’re lonely?”

Jack, “I fucking told you we couldn’t be romantic, and I could never be public with you. Why the fuck did you let me in if you wanted something else?”

Joseph sighs, “I am never dating a closeted boy again.”

Jack, “Again?”

Joseph, “If this is all we’re gonna do, I don’t want to see you anymore.”

Jack, “Fine.”

Joseph, “That’s it? Fine?”

Jack, “Fine.”

Joseph glares at him, “You know, I feel really sorry for you. And it’s not because you have an awful dad, or you can’t come out, or any other thing you told me while you were crying on my shoulder. You’re fucking pathetic, Jack, and you love being miserable.”

Jack, “At least I’m not a dumb, bitchy queen like you.”

Joseph, “Get the fuck out of here.”

Jack, “Bye.” He leaves, and Joseph watches at him, simmering with hatred.

  * Outside, Jack sits in the front seat of his car, eyes closed, deep in thought. He pounds his fist on the steering wheel, and fights to keep himself from crying.



  * In David’s apartment, David lets Michelle in. He points to a door, “There’s the bathroom, you can wash up there.”



Michelle, “Thanks.”

In the bathroom, she takes her clothes off and turns the shower on. She briefly looks at herself in the mirror, and touches her scar.

Back in the living room, David sits on a sofa. Michelle enters, her hair wet, makeup washed off, her princess dress back on.

Michelle, “Um, thanks for the shower. I wouldn’t want to explain all that makeup to a security guard. They tell my dad everything. Do you have a hair-dryer?”

David, “Nope, sorry. Do you want me to take you to the palace?”

Michelle, “I can call someone.”

David, “Okay. Anything else you want?”

Nervously, Michelle steps over towards him. She sits down, “I really did have fun tonight. I don’t get to have fun very often.”

David, “I’ll be glad to take you out again.”

Michelle laughs nervously and blushes, “I’d like that.” She puts a hand on his knee, and looks into his eyes for a few moments. She leans in and kisses him. Gently, he kisses her back.

Suddenly, she bolts away, “I’m sorry.” She stands up and steps away from him.

David, “Is something wrong?”

Quietly, she says, “David, there’s a reason I can’t date you.”

David, “Is it because Silas says no?”

Michelle, “No, it’s… it’s not that.”

David, “What is it?”

Michelle looks at him, thinking carefully about what to say, “Did you see my scar?”

David, “Yeah. I like what Monique did with it.”

Michelle, “Do you know what happened?”

David, “You were sick, right? You had a heart condition.”

Michelle, “Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. The left side of the heart is under-developed, and can’t move blood to the rest of the body.”

David, “Right.”

Michelle, “It’s why I’m really tiny while Jack’s really tall… I had three open-heart surgeries before I turned four, the first one was right after I was born. Growing up, Jack and I didn’t go to school like normal, we had tutors. We didn’t have any friends, but we had each other. I was always frail, I couldn’t run around and play sports like Jack could, and then I’d have bouts of pulmonary edema and endocarditis-”

David interrupts, “What?”

Michelle, “My heart would over-flow with blood so it would go into my lungs. I couldn’t breathe and I’d cough up blood.”

David, “Oh, geez, that’s scary.”

Michelle, “No shit. And then the inner lining of my heart would get infected, and I had all this terrible pain in my chest, and I couldn’t breathe, I’d have a terrible fever… anyway, you get the point. Being a sick kid fucking sucks. When I was twelve, I started getting sick all the time, and I didn’t get better, I only seemed to get worse. My heart was starting to fail, but transplants only get performed at the end stage of heart failure. Mom and Dad sent Jack to this boarding school, and I was completely alone, with just my tutors, and doctors, and my parents. Dad tried to be my best friend, but, he still had to be king.”

Tears fill her eyes and she sniffs, “I spent three years being constantly sick, in pain, knowing that the only way I could get better was for things to get worse. Finally, I reached end stage. I couldn’t do anything without getting sick. Even just lying down, I’d be in pain. They put me on the transplant list, and I was set to receive the next available donor, but then… I got an infection. Endocarditis. I’d had it before, but this time… I was so weak that my body couldn’t fight it. I developed abscesses on my heart and lungs and they had to stick these huge needles into my chest to drain them. They’d drain one and then more would pop up. The antibiotics didn’t do anything, and I just kept getting weaker… I knew my heart wouldn’t last much longer. I was so scared. One night, I was struggling to breathe, my fever was dangerously high, and… My body wanted to give up. I could feel it. And a big part of me wanted to give up: no more pain, no more struggle, just rest… but I couldn’t. Had to keep fighting. So I prayed. One more breath. Let me breathe again, and again, and again... I prayed to God, just let me get through the night. And I did. I survived, and then my fever broke. The infection started to clear up. I re-gained a little bit of strength, enough to be a viable candidate for a transplant. Even then, it was still risky. There was a good chance I’d die in surgery, but I was guaranteed to die if I didn’t get it. Before my surgery, I vowed to God that if I made it out, I would dedicate my life to Him. And I woke up. I saw my family, and they saw me, and… I got better. I finally had a heart that worked, and I was truly healthy for the first time in my life. Everything I do to help people, I do it because I’m serving God in thanks for my life.”

David, “What does this have to do with not being able to date me? We’d make a great team, we could really help a lot of people!”

Michelle, “The vows I made include never marrying, and staying a virgin.”

David, “Oh. Okay.”

Michelle, “I’m sorry.”

David, “Why are you apologizing? There’s nothing to apologize for.”

Michelle shakes her head, “I’ve never been seriously tempted to break my vows before.”

David, “I’ll leave you alone.”

Michelle, “No, don’t. David, I- I really like you. I like spending time with you. You’re a really good friend.”

David, “There’s nothing wrong with just being friends. I like being your friend.”

Michelle, “Really?”

David, “Yeah. I’ll be honest, I’d really like to date you, but, other people are out there. I don’t really think I’m gonna have whole lot of trouble finding someone else.”

Michelle laughs, “That- that’s a relief. I’d hate to break your heart.”

David, “Eh, I’m a little heart-broken, but, I’ll live.”

Michelle, “Thanks, David. Whoever dates you is gonna be really fucking lucky.”

David, “Are you sure you want to try calling someone? I’d be more than happy to bring you back to the palace myself.”

Michelle, “Wash the glitter off, first.”

  * Back in the palace, Silas sits waiting up for Michelle. She enters, carrying her shoes.



She sees Silas and reacts with surprise, “Dad!”

Silas looks at her, “Did you enjoy your evening?”

Michelle, “David took me somewhere, and we had a great time, but I told him about my vows. He was an absolute gentleman and didn’t try anything, and he even said that he’s happy to be my friend.”

Silas smiles, looking fatherly, “I’m glad you enjoyed your evening, puppy.” He stands up and approaches her, “In fact…” he stands in front of her, “If you did happen to want to date him, you have my blessing.”

Michelle’s face lights up, “Really?”

Silas, “Yes, really. Captain Shepherd is a fine man, and he’d make a fine son-in-law.”

Michelle, “I didn’t say anything about marrying him!”

Silas, “Well, dating leads to marriage, doesn’t it?”

Michelle, growing slightly uncomfortable, “Yeah, it does.” Her tone grows serious, “I’m not gonna break my vows, though. I meant them when I took them. I’m being tempted, but, I won’t give in.”

Silas smiles and hugs her, “I couldn’t be prouder of you, sweetheart.”

Michelle, “Thanks, Dad.”

**(tryina make Jack go straight)** David’s uber arrives at the palace. David tips his driver, thanks him, and gets out. He heads towards the door, but before he can open it, it swings open, and suddenly, he’s face-to-face with Jack. They stare at each other for a moment.

David, “I told you you’d be seeing me again.”

Jack, quietly, “I guess so.”

David, “I got invited to dinner with the king. That’s probably kind of a big deal, right?”

Jack, “Yeah.”

David, “Where are you going?”

Jack, “I’ve got a date.”

David, “Oh, nice.”

Jack, “Yeah. Nice girl from a good family. Mom wants me to marry her.”

David, “So no pressure, right?”

Jack almost laughs, “You could say.”

They look at each other for a moment, both refusing to acknowledge their desire.

David, “I guess I shouldn’t keep you, then.”

Jack, “Yeah. See you.”

David, “See you.” David walks past Jack, who can’t help but stare.

  * David walks into the dining room. Silas sits at the table. He raises a glass of wine, “Good evening, Captain Shepherd.”



David, “Good evening, your majesty.”

Silas, “Please, come, sit.”

David sits down at the place that’s been made for him. Immediately, a waiter swoops in and pours him a glass of wine.

Silas, “Do you know anything about wine, David?”

David, “Uh, it’s made from grapes.”

Silas chuckles, “You have much to learn, then, don’t you?”

David, “You don’t really get a lot of opportunities to drink wine on the front.”

Silas, “This is true. Rose was the one who taught me about wine. She had to do it on the rare occasions I was on leave.”

David, “So what did she teach you?”

Silas, “It’s made from grapes!” He takes a sip of wine, “Honestly, I’ll be damned if I can tell one varietal from another, but people are impressed when I talk about floral notes and tannins, so it’s a useful skill.”

David, “Then I should learn it.” He smiles and takes a sip.

  * Jack sits with Lucinda at a fancy restaurant.



Lucinda, “I’m halfway through earning my master’s- I’m thinking about maybe going for a doctorate when I’m done, going into academia, because there’s not much else you can do with a degree in North American history.”

Jack, “Plenty of historian jobs at the palace. Gotta make sure history gets recorded the right way.”

Lucinda, “I’m thinking of focusing my thesis on the war between Edom and Samaria. The role the Cross family played in the manufacturing of weapons is quite fascinating.”

Jack, “So are you dating me because you want to be a princess, or are you dating me because you want a primary source for your thesis?”

Lucinda looks at him awkwardly, not sure what to say.

Jack, “That was a joke.”

Lucinda laughs, “Sorry. I’m kind of nervous.”

Jack, “Don’t be.”

Lucinda, “I wouldn’t be the first woman in my family to marry for a title.”

Jack, “Hey, at least you’re honest about it. Most girls on a first date are just like,” he adopts a mocking high-pitched voice, “‘ _No, Jack, I love you! I want to have your children_!’” he goes back to his normal voice, “And the bill hasn’t even arrived.”

Lucinda laughs, relaxing a bit, “Yeah, well, if we’re continuing with the honesty, my parents really want this date to go well, so if it seems like I’m sucking up to you, I probably am.”

Jack, “My mom wants this date to go well, too. She’s pretty sick of me fucking around.”

Lucinda, “Can I be a little bit more honest?”

Jack, “Yeah?”

Lucinda, “I actually am kind of having a good time. You’re not nearly as much of a douche as I thought you were gonna be.”

Jack, “Such romantic words to win my heart.”

Lucinda, “I mean we can consider this a successful date. I’d like to see you again.”

Jack, “Okay. I guess I wouldn’t mind seeing you again.”

  * David and Silas have their plates cleared. Silas drinks deeply from a glass of wine, evidently several glasses in (drunk Silas is ALL CAPS Silas).



Silas, “Mmm. You know, I really don’t drink very often, but, whatever kind of wine they’re giving us tonight certainly agrees with me.”

David, “It is good.”

Silas, “You barely had any.”

David, “I don’t want to get drunk in front of my king.”

Silas, “Smart. You’re a smart one.”

David, “I try.”

Silas, “I’m gonna teach you about ART!”

David, “What?”

Silas stands up, “Come on. No point in having an art collection if you don’t show it to people.”

David stands up, “Okay.”

Silas goes over to him and slaps him on the back, “Get a little culture in you, David, you’ll be running the damn palace before you know it.”

David, “I like the army.”

Silas, “Oh, come on, you’re too good for the army.”

David, “Odd for a king to say.”

Silas, “It’s true. Come on, I want to show you a few things.”

  * Silas and David stand in front of [Artemisia Gentileschi’s _Judith Beheading Holofernes_](https://images.uffizi.it/production/attachments/1506165873655660-artemisia-giuditta-principale.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.3&w=2500&h=2500&fit=unset&crop=center&fm=pjpg&auto=compress&mark=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.uffizi.it%2Fproduction%2Fattachments%2Flogo-watermark.png).



Silas, “The beautiful widow Judith was desired by the Assyrian general Holofernes. He called her into his tent, where she plied him with wine until he passed out. Then, she beheaded him, rather than give up her honor.”

David, “Rather than be raped.”

Silas, “Are you familiar with the story?”

David, “Oh, I’m a big fan of this painting. Most artists of the time showed Judith beheading Holofernes with ease, but Artemisia Gentileschi, herself a survivor of sexual violence, shows it as a bloody struggle. Judith’s handmaiden fights to hold Holofernes down while Judith moves away to not get blood on her dress. It’s startling and it’s realistic, and I’ve always appreciated that.”

Silas, “Where the hell did you learn all that?”

David, “My father was pretty artistic. He meant to be a professional musician, but then the army happened. He liked to take my brothers and me to museums. I’ve always been around art.”

Silas, “Well, fuck me. I never had time for art, growing up. Only started learning about it because I was trying to impress Rose.”

David, “It does impress the ladies.”

Silas, “Come on, lemme show you something else.” He guides David over to stand in front of a painting of a voluptuous naked woman.

Silas, “I like this painting.”

David, “It is very nice,” he hesitates for a moment, “If I might say something, though.”

Silas, “What?”

David, “I- a few weeks, ago, someone took me to this club that’s not exactly legal. There were naked women up on stage, and because of that, the club could get shut down and declared obscene. But here you are showing me this painting of a naked woman. What’s the difference?”

Silas: “This is ART!”

David: “Yeah but… the naked women I saw… How is that not art?”

Silas: “Oh, the fuck if I know, all I know is that sort of club is dangerous. People get bad ideas about politics in those kinds of clubs.”

David: “Yeah, I guess.”

Silas grimaces: “I’m tired of art. Play me some music.” He leads David out.

  * In the hallway, they run into Jack and Lucinda, returning from their date.



Silas, “JACK!” Jack looks at Silas, and then at David, uneasy.

David, “Hi.”

Jack, “Hi,” he looks at Lucinda, “You’ve met my father before, haven’t you?”

Lucinda, “Yes, a few times.”

Silas, trying to act sober, “Very nice to see you again, Miss Wolfson.”

Lucinda, “I’ve had a lovely evening with Jack.” She looks at David, “Oh, you’re David Shepherd, with the tank, right?”

David, “Yes, that would be me.”

Lucinda, “Wow, it’s really thrilling to meet you!” Jack looks away awkwardly.

David, “It’s nice to meet you, to, uh…”

Lucinda, “Lucinda! Lucinda Wolfson, but a lot of people just call me Lulu.”

David, “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Lucinda.”

Silas, “David was going to play me some music. Care to join us?”

Jack, “No, we’re fine.”

David, “We’ll be on our way, then.”

o Up in Jack’s apartment, Jack and Lucinda enter.

Jack, “Would you like a drink?”

Lucinda, “That would be nice.”

Jack goes over and pours some drinks. He brings one to Lucinda.

Lucinda, “It’s pretty exciting to meet David Shepherd.”

Jack, “Yeah, everyone loves David. Used to be I was the one guy all the girls in Shiloh wanted to date, now they don’t care about me, they want David.”

Lucinda, “Well, can you blame them?”

Jack, “Would you rather be dating David?”

Lucinda, “Well, I certainly wouldn’t say no, but, hey, I’ll settle for dating a prince.”

Jack sits down on his sofa, and Lucinda sits next to him. They sit in awkward silence for a long moment.

Jack, “Look, Lulu, I actually kind of like you, which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for every other society girl my mom usually thrusts at me. The end goal of this thing is marriage and kids. That’s pretty much all that being a royal woman boils down to. So if you don’t want either of those, you should get out now.”

Lucinda, “No, I- I want to get married and have kids. I’m just not sure if I want to marry you is all. We’ve kind of only been on one date.”

Jack, “Okay, well, I guess we can go on another date, some time.”

Lucinda, “I’d like that.”

Jack, “It’s just… it can’t drag on too long. I’ve got a lot of pressure being put on me.”

Lucinda, “I understand. You need to keep things moving.”

They stare at each other awkwardly, and then Lucinda leans in and kisses him. He kisses her back.

o In the music room, David plays a classical piece for Silas, who sits on a sofa, eyes shut, nursing a glass of scotch.

Silas, “Play something else!”

David, “What would you like?”

Silas, “I don’t know, just something else.”

David begins another piece.

Silas, “No, not that.”

David holds back his frustration and begins another piece.

Silas, “Something else!”

David, “I really don’t know what you want me to play.”

Silas, “I’ve got a headache. Something that will make it better.”

David takes a deep breath and plays another piece.

Silas, “No!” David bites his lip and lowers his head.

He thinks for a moment, and then says, “Okay. Since classical isn’t working tonight, let’s try something else.” He begins to play the opening bars of Mr. Brightside, and which seems to soothe Silas. David begins to sing, a sad, plaintive version of the song ( https://bit.ly/2Obghkp ). When he reaches, “It started out with a kiss,”

o Jack and Lucinda heavily make out. As David sings, the emotion of the lyrics starts to get to him.

Jack unzips Lucinda’s dress, and she suddenly bolts away from him, “I can’t do this.”

Jack, “What?”

Lucinda, “I- I like you Jack, at least I think I do, I barely know you!”

Jack, “I like you, too!”

Lucinda, “I-” she hesitates, “Look, I- I’ve heard rumors about you.”

Jack, “Hey, I’ve been with a lot of girls, I won’t deny that, but I don’t want to embarrass you or anything.”

Lucinda, “It’s not that. Are you gay?”

Jack stares at her, dumbfounded.

Lucinda, tears in her eyes, “I saw you looking at David. I don’t want my marriage to just be a business deal. I want to marry someone that I love, and who is going to love me back. I- I might be able to love you, but… would you love me?”

Jack stares at her without saying anything, hesitant to answer. Lucinda looks away, knowing what the answer is. She zips up her dress.

Jack, “Lucinda, wait-”

Lucinda, “It’s okay, Jack. I’m not angry. Really. I’m actually glad we can be this honest. I hope you find someone you like, or can at least tolerate. But I need to love the man I marry, and I need him to love me. So I’m just going to end this before we end up hurting each other.”

She walks out the door, and Jack goes to follow her, “Lucinda!”

He follows her down the stairs. He passes the music room where he briefly catches a glimpse of David playing for Silas. He follows Lucinda out of the residence, “Look, I- I can love you! I swear I just- You don’t just fall in love with someone as soon as you meet them!”

Lucinda doesn’t turn around, “I’m sorry, Jack, please, don’t make a scene.”

Jack, “You can’t leave!”

Lucinda, “I’m sorry, Jack.”

Rose appears in front of them.

She smiles brightly, “Lucinda! How was your evening?”

Lucinda stops, “I had a lovely evening, your highness. Jack is a wonderful person, but, I don’t think I’m interested in pursuing a relationship with him.”

Rose, “Oh, come now, it’s only been one date.”

Lucinda, “I know where one date leads, and I don’t want to go there. I’m sorry.” She tries to leave, but Rose physically stops her.

Rose, “Would you at least care for some tea?”

Lucinda, “I really don’t want to stay. I wish Jack well, but please, I need to leave.” She pushes past Rose and disappears.

Rose glares at Jack for a long, agonizing moment. She goes over to him and gives him a sharp slap, hissing, “How could you fuck this up?!” She storms off.

Jack stands there, rubbing his sore cheek. Slowly, dejected, he turns around, and goes back the way he came.

When he reaches the music room, he stops, and sees David playing. David sings with plaintive emotion, and he radiates with handsomeness. Jack listens, pained and full of hot jealousy. He goes and finds a place where he can listen without being seen.

o In the room, David finishes the song. He sits for a moment, reflecting, and then looks at Silas, “Did you like that?”

Silas is unimpressed, “I don’t get it. Is he jealous of the man or the woman in that song?”

David: “I dunno. I guess it could go either way.”

Silas: “It’s bisexual.”

David: “You could say that.”

Silas: “What about you?”

David: “What?”

Silas: “What are you? I know you like Michelle. Have you ever liked any boys?”

David blushes, “I… I don’t like labels. I think they limit the kind of person you can be. But I have had feelings for other guys. The Japanese have this euphemism, ryototsukai, it means one who wields two swords. I like that. If I were going to pick a label, I’d say I’m ryototsukai. But I guess most people would just say I’m bisexual.”

Silas: “You are heterosexual.”

David: “Pardon?”

Silas: “If you want to go any further in your career, you are heterosexual. You’re lucky, you can just ignore your perverted feelings and act on the right ones.”

David: “I… all right.”

Silas: “You are heterosexual.”

David: “Okay.”

Silas: “I’m going to bed.” He gets up.

David: “I’ll see you tomorrow, then, sir. Good night.”

Silas: “Night.”

Silas exits, but doesn’t see Jack sitting in the shadows. David follows, and then sees Jack.

David, “Hi.”

Jack, “Hi.”

David, “Did your date go well?”

Jack, darkly, “No.”

David, “Oh, bummer.”

Jack, “How about your dinner?”

David, “I think it went well? I’m not really sure.”

Jack stares at David for a moment, but then says, “Would you like a drink?”

David, “Yeah, that sounds good.”

  * Up in his apartment, Jack serves David a drink and sits down next to him.



David, “He kept telling me to play something else, so I tried singing a song that I really like, and, he at least listened to it. He said something kind of weird afterwards.”

Jack, “What?”

David, “He… He said the song was bisexual, and then asked me if I was.”

Jack, “Are you?”

David, “Well, yeah. I said so, and then Silas told me I’m actually heterosexual, or, at least I have to act that way.”

Jack stares at David, terrified of what he’s going to say.

David, “I’ve dealt with a lot of ignorance and had to reply to a lot of bullshit, and I guess I’ve been lucky, but, I’ve never faced any outright prejudice when I’ve come out as bi. I guess I should’ve known it was bound to happen, but, I just didn’t expect it to come from the king.”

Jack, “You aren’t the first person he’s said that to.”

David, “Really?”

Jack, “He says that to me nearly every day.”

They look at each other for a long moment, all the feelings they’ve been trying to suppress finally rushing to the surface. Jack reaches forward and puts a hand on David’s knee.

He whispers so quietly he can barely be heard, “I’ve been in love with you ever since I set eyes on you.”

David kisses him, slowly, passionately. Jack leans back and gasps with ecstasy. They take each other’s clothes off and make love. David confidently fucks Jack, while Jack squirms and moans beneath him, crying out, “David, David!” He smiles up at David, happiness shining in his eyes, and David stares deep into them, entranced. Finally, they lay together, Jack curled up in David’s arms, face nestled in his chest, while David kisses his hair and strokes his back.

Jack, “If you don’t love me back, I understand. I just couldn’t go on pretending.”

David, “No, don’t say that…” He gently touches Jack’s face, and looks into his eyes.

David, “The night I saved you, I met someone, someone who wasn’t the Prince Jack I saw on the news, someone who disappeared as soon as Silas showed up. I’d catch glances of him, every once and a while, but, eventually, I wondered if I was just seeing things.” Jack hangs on his every word, and David puts his hand under his chin, deeply scrutinizing his face, “I’m glad to see him again. I want to keep seeing him.”

Jack smiles brightly, and David kisses him.

**The Coup** -In the emptied-out lobby of the hospital, Michelle, Rose, and Jack wait for word on Silas.

Michelle sniffs and wipes her nose, “Dad’s gonna be okay. I know he is. He has to be okay.”

Rose, “He’s tough, and let’s face it- this isn’t the first time he’s been shot. He’ll make it through, again.” She squeezes Michelle’s hand.

Jack approaches them, “I think we should be realistic- He’s not the young soldier he used to be, and he was shot six times.”

Michelle, “Don’t talk about that, Jack!”

Jack kneels down so he can be face-to-face with Rose, and takes her hand, “Dad was getting old. He’s been losing his touch. Perhaps this will be for the best. I’m ready to be king.” He smiles eerily.

Rose looks at him, horrified that he could actually smile.

Jack, “Whatever happens, we need to be a family now.” He leans in and kisses her cheek.

  * David is led out of the back of the SUV and into a large army tent. He is sat down on a chair, and the hood is pulled off of his head. He looks around for a moment, his eyes adjust, and he sees Samuels standing there.



Samuels, “Hello, David.”

David, “What? Where’s Jack?”

Samuels, “I believe he’s at the hospital with his family.”

David, “So he’s safe?”

Samuels, “I have no reason to believe otherwise.”

David, “Oh, thank god! When can I see him again?”

Samuels, “I’m afraid you aren’t going to see him for quite a long time.”

David, “Wait, what? Jack’s the one who saved me!”

Samuels smiles and shakes his head, “I’m afraid not.” He goes behind David and unties his hands.

David, “What the hell do you mean, afraid not? If it wasn’t Jack, who the hell saved me?”

Samuels, “I did. I have something to show you.” He goes over to the front flap of the tent, “Come with me.”

David stares for a moment, hesitant, and then gets up. Samuels leads him outside. David looks around and sees a bustling rebel army camp: Recruits train with guns, and practice hand-to-hand combat. A group of analysts gather around with laptops plugged into a generator. Someone cooks food over a campfire. A group of recruits practice throwing knives at a picture of Silas.

Samuels, “Welcome to the rebellion.”

David looks at him, bewildered, “You’re in the resistance?”

Samuels chuckles softly, “I _am_ the resistance.”

David, bewildered, unable to say anything else, “Holy shit.”

Samuels, “I want to take this resistance further, but I need you to help. I need you to lead.”

David, “What? No. I- okay, so I made the news because of the whole tank thing, but I’m famous because I’m hot!” he lifts his shirt up to reveal his abs, “I’m famous because of these! I have fangirls, not followers!”

Samuels, “You don’t have a choice in this.”

David, “The hell I don’t! And you… _you_?! You’re the reason all this bullshit keeps happening to me?!”

Samuels, “I’ve done what I can to push you in the right direction. But ultimately, it wasn’t my decision. God has chosen you to lead, David”

David, “ _God_?!” He realizes that this wise mentor may in fact be absolutely batshit insane, “God would never choose me!”

Samuels, “Why not?”

David, “Because I’m a dumbass! You can keep trying to push me wherever, but I’m going in my own direction now!” He turns away.

Samuels, “You’re still wearing my watch!”

David halts. He looks down at his wrist, where the watch ticks steadily.

Samuels slowly approaches David, “Years ago, I made a terrible decision. Ever since, I’ve done everything I can to fix that decision, but nothing has succeeded. You’re the closest I’ve come.”

David turns back around, “You chose Silas to be king.”

Samuels, “I did.”

David, “Are you saying I should be king?”

Samuels, “I can’t do what you do. I can’t excite people. I can’t make complete strangers love me. I can’t rally people around me. Only you can do that.”

David, “You made one bad decision, and I’m telling you right now, choosing me to be king is another one. I don’t want to lead a rebellion, I don’t want to be king!”

Samuels, “Do you know when I knew you were the one I wanted?”

David, “When I blew up the tank?”

Samuels, “No. When you told me that you can’t just be the guy who sits back and lets bad things happen. You said that makes you no better than those who do evil in the world.”

David, “I didn’t say I’d just sit back and do nothing, I just said I don’t want to lead. Besides, I heard about the coup. I know Silas got shot. If he dies, Jack will be king, and everything will be fine.”

Samuels, “Jack isn’t a king. He has only ever known cruelty and war, he can’t lead a nation into peace.”

David, “You don’t know Jack like I do.”

Samuels, “I baptized Jack. I prayed with him when his sister was sick. I watched him grow up. I know he doesn’t have it in him to lead. He’d just be another Silas.”

David, “Don’t say that about him! He’s smart and he’s kind, and without Silas around he won’t be living in fear anymore!”

Samuels, “The Benjamin bloodline is cursed! Illness! Madness! Abuse! The curse will only spread. Jack won’t undo what his father’s done. You have to unseat him.”

David, “I fucking love Jack!” he falters, and softens, “I- we- we’ve kept it a secret, but we’re in love. I can’t lead a rebellion against him. I’m sorry.”

Samuels, without missing a beat, “Even better then. If he loves you, he’ll be all the more willing to hand you his crown.”

David slowly backs away, “You are insane. I thought that you were some wise man of God, but you are just fucking insane! I don’t want to be a part of your rebellion! I am leaving!”

Samuels, “Where are you going to go?”

David, “What?”

Samuels, “The entire Gilboan army is looking for you. If you so much as set a toe out of this place, you will be found. You have to stay here. I can protect you, but you have to stay here.”

David takes a deep breath, his chest shaking, tears welling in his eyes, “This isn’t fair.”

Samuels, “It would only be unfair if good people let evil triumph. You know you want to do the right thing, David.”

David’s lips tremble, he looks down at the ground, angry, “Can I call Jack? Please, if you can, tell someone to tell Jack that I’m okay, and I want to talk to him.”

Samuels, “We will do that.”

David nods, “Thanks.” he stands and thinks for a moment, “I’m not leading anything.”

Samuels, “It’s not up to you.”

  * At the hospital, Michelle hisses at Jack in a corner, “How can you be so calm? Are you actually fucking happy about this?”



Jack, “You know my life can only get better without Dad in it.”

Michelle, “Shut up!”

Jack, “You know it’s true.”

Michelle, tears in her eyes, “You- you didn’t- you didn’t have anything to do with this, did you?!”

Jack, “Now why would I do that?” He smirks.

Michelle glares at him, lips trembling, not sure what to think or believe.

Behind them, a doctor comes out. Everyone stands and faces him.

Jack beams with expectation, “What’s the news, doctor?”

Doctor, “King Silas has made it out of surgery. He has yet to fully stabilize, but things look good. You should be able to see him once he’s stable, which hopefully won’t be too long.”

All the blood drains from Jack’s face. Rose weeps with happiness.

Michelle rushes over and hugs the doctor, “Thank you so much!”

Doctor, “I’m just doing my job. The king is a patient like any other.”

Michelle steps back and looks at Jack, a grim expression on his face.

  * (Samuels calls Jack, who’s hiding in an empty hospital hallway. Samuels hands David his phone so they can talk, and then gives them their privacy.)



David, softly, nervously, “Jack?”

Jack’s face and body language overflow with emotion, but when he speaks, he uses a strong, confident soldier voice to not cause David too much worry, “David? Are you with Samuels?”

David, “Either I’m with Samuels or I’m in Hell. I’ve still got a pulse, somehow.” He puts his fingers to his neck.

Elation bounds over Jack’s face, “I told you, everything would work out.”

David, “What the fuck is going on at the palace? Is Silas dead?”

Jack, “No, there- there was an attempt at a coup, and… I can’t tell you much about it, but, just know that I was trying to make things right.”

David, “What do you mean?”

Jack, “Don’t worry about it. Dad got shot, but he’s still alive. They brought him out of surgery, he’s okay. Mom and Michelle are with him.”

David, “Yeah, I kinda figured it’d take more than a few bullets to take down Silas.”

Tears fall down Jack’s face, but his voice doesn’t waver, “Yeah,” he pauses, “Don’t worry about me, okay? I’m safe.”

David, “You don’t worry about me, either. I’m safe, for right now. I, uh… I think I’m gonna find a way to get into Gath and go back to the farm.”

Jack, “Yeah, that sounds good.”

They sit in silence for a moment, both realizing that they won’t see each other for a long time.

David, “Samuels- Samuels wants me to lead this rebellion.”

Jack, “Are you going to?”

David, “I don’t- I don’t want to, but… I don’t want to just do nothing, I mean…” he drifts off and thinks for a moment, “Jack, I know the smart thing to do would be to just leave, go back home, live the rest of my life like none of this ever happened, but… I don’t know if I want to do that. I- I want to be with you.”

Jack smiles, overjoyed, but still deeply pained.

David, “I know that’s not going happen without a fight, but… I think you’d be worth fighting for.”

Jack hangs on his every word.

David, “I’ve been trying to tell myself that this is just an infatuation, it’s lust, it’ll burn out, but… I’ve been infatuated before, and this… this is something different.”

Jack, trying to stay strong, but finally breaking, “I love you.”

A small smile breaks over David’s face, “Yeah. I love you, too.”

Jack cries, silently overjoyed.

David, “Jack… I’ll fight for you, if you’ll fight for me.”

Jack, “I will. I’ll keep fighting, I- I’ll find something, there has to be a way that we can be together, I just…” he fades off, and wipes tears from his face, “There’s gotta be something.”

David, softly, “There’s gotta be something. But we don’t have to think of it right away. The important thing right now is that you stay safe. Don’t get yourself into trouble, okay?”

Jack, “Okay.”

David, “I know you’re good at it.”

Jack, smiling sadly, “I know. I-” he sees movement at the end of the hallway, “I- I have to go. I- I’ll-” he struggles to end the sentence.

David, “You go. And I’ll keep fighting, alright?”

Jack, “Okay, I’ll keep fighting.”

David, sadly, “Bye.”

Jack, in agony, “Bye.” They both drop their phones. David sits quietly while Jack struggles not to completely break down crying.

  * Samuels gives David a thumb drive, “Guard this with your life.”



David: “What is this?”

Samuels: “The crimes of Silas Benjamin. A detailed account of everything he’s done to harm the people of Gilboa.

  * David stands outside a tent, looking around at the camp buzzing around him. A short distance off, two young male recruits, Adam and Liam, nudge each other and point.



Adam, “Oh, shit, it is him!”

Liam, “You gotta talk to him, man!”

Adam, “No way. What would I fucking say?”

Liam takes off towards David, “Hey!”

Adam runs after him, “Liam! Liam!”

Liam yells again, “Hey!”

David looks over and sees them.

Liam, “I knew you’d make it here!”

David, “What?”

Liam, “Silas can’t kill you man!” Adam stands shyly behind Liam.

David, “That seems to be the case.”

Liam laughs, “Holy fuck! I can’t believe I’m meeting you.”

David, “I can’t really believe I’m still alive, but here I am.”

Liam, “My name’s Liam. Liam Montrose. This is my buddy, Adam Solano, he’s a major fanboy of yours.”

Adam, “Shut up, man!”

Liam, “We’re both honored to be serving you and Reverend Samuels.”

David, “Serving me?”

Liam, “In the rebellion.”

David looks around, dismayed, “I’m not leading this, Samuels is.”

Liam, “So what are you doing?”

David, “I don’t know. I need to think about it for a while.”

Liam, “Well, don’t take too long, man, I’m ready for some action!”

David looks them both over, “You’ve never been in combat, have you?”

Liam, “I watch a lot of movies.”

David, “Movies don’t tell you shit. You don’t know what it’s like until you’re actually in it.”

Liam, “So put me in it! I’m not afraid to fight!”

David laughs softly and rolls his eyes, “How old are you, anyway?”

Liam, “Eighteen.”

David looks at Adam, “What about you?”

Adam, “I’ll be eighteen in eight months.”

David, dismayed, “Jesus, you’re seventeen? There’s no way you’re going into combat, not until you turn eighteen, anyway, I’m not having any child soldiers-”

Adam, “I thought you said you weren’t leading.”

David, taken aback for a moment, “I said _Samuels_ is leading. He actually knows how to lead an army. I don’t.”

Adam, softly, “I can’t really go back home.”

David, softening, “You don’t have to. There’s plenty of non-combat work that needs to get done. Just wait three months.”

Adam, “Are you gonna fight with us?”

  * David, “I’m gonna go back home. For a little while, anyway. I have no idea what Samuels wants to do with me, but I want to go home.”



Jack and Michelle sit eating dinner in awkward silence. After a short while, Michelle finally says, “I think things’ll be better, now that David’s gone.”

Jack, “Don’t say that.”

Michelle, “Look, I’m happy that he’s okay, and I want him to continue being okay, but we can’t pretend that his arrival didn’t really fuck things up around here. Maybe things can go back to normal now.”

Jack, bitterly, “I don’t know what normal you’re feeling so nostalgic for, but my normal has always been pretty fucked up.”

Michelle, flustered, “I don’t- that’s not what I mean.”

Jack, “Well, what do you mean?”

Michelle, “Just that I hope David stays safe, and staying safe means staying the fuck away from here.”

Jack casts her a withering glare and continues eating without saying anything.

Michelle, “We have to be a family now.”

Thomasina enters, “Your father wishes to speak with the two of you.”

Jack, “We’re eating.”

Thomasina, “He says it’s urgent.”

Jack sighs with annoyance, “Fine.” He gets up, and Michelle follows him.

Jack and Michelle go into a room where a large TV screen is mounted on the wall. Silas sits in a chair, propped up on pillows, and Rose sits on the arm beside him.

Jack, nervously, “You wanted something, Dad?”

  * Silas turns and looks at them, “Yes, come here.” He gestures for them to come closer. Apprehensively, Jack and Michelle step towards him.



Silas, “Something happened, when I got shot. David Shepherd was supposed to be executed. I was supposed to see his body today, but instead I’ve been told he's disappeared. What happened?”

Jack and Michelle exchange nervous glances.

Michelle, confused and hopeful, “Are you saying David’s still alive?”

Silas, “That seems to be the case. I’m assuming he’s in Gath by now. Maybe Gerald had something to do with it.”

Michelle, “Well, Dad, if you want me to be honest, I’ll say that I’m glad that David is okay. And I hope he stays in Gath.”

Jack mumbles and stares at his feet, “Yeah… He’s caused us enough trouble.”

Silas gives them both a curious, scrutinizing look.

o At camp, David walks out into an open field. The sun is almost down, and the first stars are coming out. David stares up at the sky, and is filled with an odd sense of peace and confidence. He just has to figure everything out, and things will be okay.

Back in the palace, Silas: “He’s not in Gath. I know exactly where he is.” ([“Cosmic Love” Florence + The Machine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EIeUlvHAiM)) Jack and Michelle exchange terrified glances. Silas turns on the TV, and it’s a view of a helmet-mounted camera of a soldier approaching the rebel camp.

Silas: “Do you honestly think, Jack, that I didn’t know about the rebellion? Samuels has been trying to get me for years, this is just his latest attempt!”

Jack, panicking: “Dad, David had nothing to do with this, he never knew a thing!”

Silas looks over at Jack, a cruel sneer on his face, “So you were planning on killing me.”

Jack: “What? No! I- I would never do that!”

Silas speaks into his phone, “Begin the raid.”

o From his peaceful spot, the sound of distant gunfire. David turns around and realizes that the camp has been found. He takes off running.

o Silas, “You think you’re in love with Shepherd. Now you’re going to watch him die.”

Jack: “Dad, no!” he turns to Rose, “Mom, tell him to stop this!”

Rose: “This is what happens to those who oppose their king.”

o David reaches the camp. He dives into a tent, searches frantically, and retrieves a gun. He opens the flaps of the tent, and the outside scene looks like he’s opened the gates to Hell.

A fierce firefight rages between the rebels and the advancing army. RPGs are launched into tents, causing explosions and big fires. Defenseless rebels raise their hands in surrender, while others try to run, but are mowed down by gunfire. David runs out, shooting and looking for Samuels. Samuels is hiding behind a tent, firing back at Silas’s troops, an old general once again at war.

David runs to him, “Reverend!”

Samuels sees David, and horror flashes in his eyes for a moment, “David, get out of here!”

David, “I have to fight!”

o A soldier says, “I have a visual on Shepherd and Samuels!”

Silas: “Get them!”

Jack sees David on the TV screen and falls to his knees. Michelle sobs helplessly.

o Samuels, “Get out of here!”

David, “No, we can still fight!”

Samuels, “We’ve lost here, the only way this rebellion moves forward is if you survive! You’re the leader now, David! Get the fuck out of here!”

David, “I’m not leading anything! We’re getting out of here together!”

Samuels, “I can die, but you can’t!”

Samuels sees a soldier moving for David, and then jumps in between them, shielding David. His body is riddled with bullets, and he falls forward. David catches him, horrified.

Samuels, “Survive, and lead!”

David sees the other soldier trying to fire at him. David drops Samuels’s body, and tries to fire back. David tries valiantly to shoot at the soldier, but he misses. He backs away, but he’s in a corner, and trapped.

o Silas: “Finish him off!”

Jack: “Dad, please no!”

Michelle, “Dad, please, you don’t have to do this!”

Silas: “Kill the son of a bitch!”

o One of David’s shots hits the soldier firing at him, and he takes off running towards the woods.

o Silas: “Kill him! Kill him!”

Jack looks on, silently caught between screaming and throwing up.

o David runs for his life, shots firing all around him. He nears the edge of the woods.

o Soldier: “Shepherd is headed towards the woods!”

Silas: “Bring in the javelins!”

o David enters the woods, and keeps running.

o Jack looks on, the tiniest bit of hope in his eyes. On screen, the woods explode into brilliant orange fireballs as bomb after bomb is dropped. Jack throws up and collapses.

o The woods explode in brilliant orange flames. David tries to run, but the bombs are too close, and he falls.

o A calm, overly satisfied smile spreads over Silas’s face. “Finish them off. Clean them up. This rebellion is over.

Rose puts her hand on Silas’s shoulder, “Good riddance.”

Michelle sits down and sobs. Slowly, with great pain and effort, Silas stands.

He goes over to Michelle and looks at her, “I know you’re sad now, but trust me, this is for the greater good. This monarchy stands.”

Michelle looks up at him, trying desperately to believe him.

Silas goes over to Jack, “Get up.”

Jack just looks up at him, “If being king means being like you, I don’t ever want to be king!”

Silas kicks him, “Get up!”

Jack gets up. Silas tells him to kneel before his king, kiss the ground he walks on, etc. and Jack follows, shaking and terrified.

Silas: “I’m willing to show you mercy, but first you must atone. You must be broken down and re-built. You will give me an heir. You will be king.”

Jack: “Never.”

Silas closes his eyes and draws in a sharp breath, “I am done being disappointed in you.” He turns around, “Guards, get him out of here. Take him where he’ll learn not to disappoint me.”

Four burly guards enter the room, and roughly grab Jack.

Jack, “Dad, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please! I’m so sorry!” He gets dragged away, screaming and pleading. Rose looks away but maintains her calm. Michelle sits in silent shock.

Silas goes over and hugs her gently. In his most soothing voice he says, “I know that was hard for you to watch. But a king must be strong enough to do the wrong thing.”

Michelle cries wordlessly, and nods.

  * In the woods, trees burn brilliantly. Away from the fire, a body lies. It stirs, and David sits up. He’s injured, but still alive. He looks around and sees the fire. Slowly, he picks his body up, and then keeps running.




	2. S2, E1: Three Days and Three Nights, and S2,E3: Genesis

1\. **“Three Days and Three Nights”** David wandering through the woods for three days, injured, Silas’s soldiers after him, bombs falling everywhere, no food or water. The whole thing is done with as little dialogue as possible. He has nasty burns on his shoulder and arm in the initial attack.

  * On the first day, a soldier finds him and David has to strangle him to death with his bare hands (with an emphasis on the fact that in reality it takes 5+ minutes to strangle someone to death, requires a huge physical effort and intimate physical contact, and you have to look into the person’s eyes as you squeeze the life from their body). David is pursued by more soldiers as darkness comes, and then climbs up a tree, soldiers directly underneath him, and prays that no one thinks to look up. As close as he is to being caught, he looks up and sees the stars through a clearing in the trees, and is transfixed by their beauty. He falls asleep and in the early morning is woken up by the sound of bombs falling.



  * On day 2 he tries survival shit but he’s not very good at it. His burns are starting to get infected



  * On day 3, he wakes up, cold, hungry, and tired of running, but he keeps on going. As the sun sets, he begins experiencing hallucinations, first mistaking a tree stump for a Gath soldier who can help him. Later, in the night, bombs fall again, and the explosions take the form of massive fiery angels. Afterwards, David realizes that Eli is walking next to him, and they talk.



David: “Do you have any food? I haven’t eaten anything since I was at camp.”

Eli: “Nope, sorry, man. (silence) What the fuck are you even doing, David?”

David: “I’m lost in the fucking woods, walking around, and praying that I run into someone who can help me.”

Eli: “Yeah, I know that, but what are you actually doing here?”

David: “What? I’m not here because I fucking want to be. Leading a rebellion is Samuels’s idea, and now Samuels is dead! I’m not gonna lead anything!”

Eli: “Whatever you say, David.”

David: “I never wanted anyone to die for me!”

Eli: “Now that people have died for you, what are you gonna do?”

David: “I don’t know! I’ve gotta get out of the fucking woods!”

Eli: “What are you gonna do when you’re out of the woods, then?”

David: “I don’t know. Surrender to Gath, I guess. The farm’s in Gath now, so it’s not like I’m really in exile. I can go home, tend the crops. I’ve always wanted to do that, anyway.”

Eli: “Is that really what you still want?”

David stops walking and looks at Eli for a long time, his emotions getting to him. “I want to be with Jack. But I guess I can’t do that. So I’ll just go home.”

Eli: “Yeah, home sounds pretty good.” They keep walking in silence.

Eli: “What do you think Silas is doing right now?”

David: “God, I don’t know! I don’t even want to think about that!”

Eli: “Do you think he’s killed more people?”

David: “I don’t know!”

Eli: “How many people do you think were killed back at the camp?”

David: “I don’t know!”

Eli: “Do you think he’s killed Jack?”

David: “SHUT UP! I don’t want to think about this! I can’t, I can’t… If Jack is dead, I…” David is overcome with anger, “If Silas hurts Jack, I swear, I’m gonna be the one who kills him. If he lays a fucking finger on Jack, I’ll kill him.”

David realizes something in amiss, and looks at Eli, “You never met Jack.”

Eli smiles knowingly. David looks away for a moment, and when he looks back Eli has disappeared. David calls for him, but nothing answers.

David continues walking, deeply rattled, trying to banish all the ugly thoughts from his head, “No no no no no!” He trips over a tree root, and lays there, tears falling from his eyes. He rolls over and looks up, but only sees blackness.

He sobs helplessly, “I never wanted this, I never wanted this…”

He stares up at the sky, and Jack’s words come back to him, “I’ve been in love with you since I first laid eyes on you.” David struggles to get to his feet, but he gets up. He takes a few steps, and then hears another voice, “David.”

He looks over and sees his father, “What if Samuels is right? What if God has chosen you to be king?” David stares at his father without saying anything, and then keeps walking. Finally, David sees a dim light in the distance, and heads toward it. As the light grows bigger, he runs faster.

It’s a Gath Army camp, he makes it, “My name is David Shepherd, and I surrender! My name is David Shepherd, and I surrender!” He collapses as he reaches the soldiers, “My name is David Shepherd, and I… My name is… I…” He passes out.

2\. “ **Genesis** ” David’s POV: blearily regaining consciousness in a white hospital room. A doctor looks at him, shines lights in his eyes, “Vital signs look good. Make sure he stays hydrated.”

Nurse: “Is it really Shepherd?”

Doctor: “I dunno. Looks like him.”

The scene darkens, comes back, A doctor talking to a military official, “I don’t know when he’ll wake up. He’s been through a lot, and his body needs rest.”

Official: “Notify me when he wakes up.”

The scene darkens, comes back, two nurses doing their rounds, “God, even unconscious, he’s still hot.”

The other nurse giggles, “How the fuck did he end up here?”

Scene darkens, comes back. David wakes all the way up. He’s alone in a hospital room. He grimaces and touches his shoulder, which is covered in bandages.

A doctor comes in, and sees David is awake, “Oh, hello, Captain Shepherd. I’m glad to see you’ve woken up.”

David, his voice hoarse, “Don’t call me Captain. I don’t think I’m a captain anymore.”

Doctor: “What do you want me to call you, then?”

David: “Just… David.”

Doctor: “Well, David, you’re in a hospital in Ashdod. You’ve been unconscious for about a day and a half. You were in rough shape when you came in. You were severely dehydrated, and you’ve got third degree burns on about three percent of your body, some of which were infected. We’ve debrided the wounds, and we’re treating you with some heavy-duty antibiotics. You’re young, strong, and healthy, you should be back on your feet in no time.”

David: “Where are my things? I- I had a flash drive in my pocket. It’s important.”

Doctor: “Someone wants to speak to you. They’ll be here in a minute.” The doctor leaves.

David lays his head back on the pillow. He shuts his eyes. The door opens again, and David re-opens his eyes.

Premier Shaw stands at the end of his bed, “Captain Shepherd. I heard you were dead. Executed. Imagine my surprise when I got word that you’d run into a Gath army camp and surrendered.”

David, sitting up: “Hello, your excellency, sir.”

Shaw sits down next to David, “How did you end up on this side of the border?” ‘

David: “It’s a long story.”

Shaw, “I found some very interesting information that was in the thumb drive in your jacket.”

David, “You looked through it?!”

Shaw, “I had to make sure you aren’t a spy. So tell me, are you going to lead the rebellion like Ephraim Samuels wants you to?”

David, “Samuels wanted me to lead this rebellion. And now he’s dead.”

Shaw: “So are you?”

David: “Am I what?”

Shaw: “Going to lead?”

David: “Fuck no!”

Shaw pauses a moment to think everything over, and then says: “You know, I didn’t expect to be made Premier. I married our great leader’s daughter because we were in love. I knew Premier Achison wanted to keep the leadership of Gath within the family, but I always believed that my brother-in-law, Michael, would take over when the time came. Then, Michael was killed in battle, and the next day, Premier Achison was murdered. Do you know who killed him?”

David: “Silas.”

Shaw: “Yes, Silas. I was crowned at a time when my nation’s resources were utterly depleted, and we had no choice but to negotiate a surrender. Every day, I had to go and look into the face of the man who murdered my leader and my father-in-law, and negotiate a surrender to him.”

David: “I’m sorry, sir, why are you telling me all this?”

Shaw: “I didn’t choose to lead, either, but when my time came, I led. You can do the same.”

David: “I’m not leading shit.”

Shaw: “There were two-hundred and thirty-five people at the rebel camp that night. Eighty-two were captured and are now being held prisoner. Seventy-four were confirmed to have been killed at the camp. The other seventy-nine, it is believed, ran into the woods.”

David: “How many have come out?”

Shaw: “Including you,” he pauses, “eight.”

David grits his teeth and grimaces, tears falling down his face, “What about Prince Jack? Is- is he alive?”

Shaw: “Princess Michelle has appeared publicly since the raid, but, Prince Jack hasn’t been seen or heard from.”

David sobs, “Oh, god, he’s dead.”

Shaw: “There’s been no word on what has happened to him.”

David: “He’s dead. There’s no way Silas would let him live.”

Shaw: “I’ve received word that Silas is planning a big address to the nation of Gilboa tonight. I believe he’s going to announce that you and Ephraim Samuels are dead. My media team has a plan in place for you to interrupt this address and read from the list of crimes that was found on the thumb drive. You are going to call for a rebellion against Silas.”

David: “I’m not doing any that! I want to go back home!”

Shaw: “You at least need to announce that you’re alive. I’ll give you time to compose yourself, but you should be prepared to go on television tonight. Goodbye, Captain Shepherd.”

Shaw leaves, and David throws his head back against his pillow.

  * Silas lays recovering in bed.



He reads from his speech as Michelle sits across from him, “Tonight, I announce that Reverend Ephraim Samuels and Captain David Shepherd are both dead. Samuels was establishing an army to overthrow me. He had a camp located sixty miles south of the border with Gath where he recruited and trained followers. These followers rescued David Shepherd from his scheduled execution, but they were tracked back to their camp. At about nine o’clock that night, I sent an army unit to destroy this camp. Reverend Samuels and Captain Shepherd were both killed in the raid, as were a number of their followers. The rest were taken prisoner and are now awaiting trial,” He lowers his paper and looks at Michelle, “What do you think, puppy?”

Michelle, “It’s a succinct description of what happened. I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

Silas makes a face, “I want to sound strong. It has to be clear that this is what will happen to anyone who stands in my way.”

Michelle: “You can get to that later.”

Silas shrugs, “I suppose I can.”

Michelle, “Are you even sure you should be making a speech yet? The doctors said-”

Silas gives Michelle a fatherly look, “I seem to remember plenty of times when doctors told you to stay in bed, but I still found you trying to sneak around when no one was looking.”

Michelle, “Now that I’m older, I’d probably listen-”

Silas interrupts, “No you wouldn’t. You’re just as stubborn as I am. I’m a tough old goat. I can handle a little pain,” he clears his throat and goes on with his speech, “The attempted coup by William Cross, and this rebellion lead by Samuels and Shepherd have all failed. I remain as firmly as ever the king of Gilboa.” He smiles to himself.

Michelle reassures him, “It’s good, I just-” she’s interrupted by a knock at the door.

Silas, “Yes?”

Thomasina opens the door, “General Abner and Director Reinhardt are here, sir.”

Silas, “Let them in.”

Abner and Reinhardt enter. Michelle eyes them warily.

Reinhardt, “It’s good to see you looking well, sir.”

Silas, “I’ve definitely looked better.”

Abner, “I know you’ve been through worse.”

Silas, “Half the time it was because I was saving your ass!”

Reinhardt, “I’ve interrogated Andrew Cross. I haven’t found any evidence that he knew or had anything to do with the attempted coup.”

Silas, “Bullshit, little fucker knew everything.”

Reinhardt, “I can still keep him in custody.”

Silas, “No, don’t. Any word on where William scurried off to?”

Reinhardt, “Moab.”

Silas, “Tell Sorenson to work up an extradition request. Laura’s gonna turn it down, but I want William to know what’s waiting for him if he ever comes back here.” He looks over at Abner, “What about Shepherd? Did you find what’s left of him?”

Michelle bites her lower lip and stares at her feet.

Abner, “Remains have been recovered from the woods, but we have yet to make any identifications. He could be among them. We may not find anything. He may have been completely incinerated.”

Michelle breathes in sharply and shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

Silas looks over at her, “You all right, puppy?”

Michelle, “I’m fine.”

Silas, “I want to be notified as soon as Shepherd’s body is confirmed. Is there anything else?”

Abner, “Nothing we can’t handle ourselves.”

Silas, “Very good. You two are dismissed.”

Abner and Reinhardt exit.

Silas looks over at Michelle, “Surely by now you understand that war is a gruesome business.”

Michelle, “I know. It’s still unpleasant to hear about, David-” she hesitates for a moment, thinking carefully, “I liked David. I wish he didn’t have to end up like this.”

Silas, “He only got who he deserved.”

Michelle, “I know,” she looks at the papers still on Silas’s lap, “Go on with your speech.”

Silas picks the papers up and begins reading, “Samuels and Shepherd are gone, but their treachery remains. Anyone found supporting their futile cause will be dealt with severely.”

Michelle speaks up quietly, “Are you going to talk about Jack at all?”

Silas puts the papers down, “It’s best if I don’t. When he’s ready, he’ll appear in public again, and tell everyone the story of how his wicked uncle tried to use him as a puppet.”

Michelle, “Where is Jack?” Silas shoots her a sharp glance, and Michelle looks down at her feet, “I just- I can’t help but worry about him. I know he needs to be punished, but he’s my brother, and-”

Silas raises a hand, “Don’t you worry about Jack. I haven’t hurt him. He’s in a safe place where he can learn from his mistakes.”

o Jack is dragged, kicking and screaming, into the cell where David was previously held.

o Michelle: “What does that mean?”

Silas: “He’s by himself. He’ll be there for a long time.”

Michelle: “Like solitary confinement? The U.N. considers that to be a form of torture!”

Silas: “I know you’re looking out for your brother, puppy, but you must believe me, it’s for the best. When someone is kept in isolation for a long enough time, the mind, it changes,”

o Jack screams, punches walls.

o Silas, “The person inside breaks down, they are reduced this child-like state of being,”

Jack sobbing on his bed.

Silas, “They become soft and malleable. I can re-build Jack from that.”

o Jack lays on his bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

o Silas, “It sounds terrible, I know, but this is the only way I can turn him into a real future king.”

Michelle smiles uncomfortably, “Does that really work?”

Silas, “It’s going to work.”

  * Michelle, carrying a baggie full of cookies, sneaks down the dungeon hallway. She counts the doors, and kneels down beside Jack’s door. She knocks on the food delivery slot, “Jack?” She opens it, “Jack, are you in there?”



Jack, lying on his bed, sees Michelle on the other side of his door, and goes to her, “Michelle!”

Michelle: “Are you all right?”

Jack: “What the fuck is going on? What’s Dad doing? Where’s Mom?”

Michelle pushes the baggie into the slot, “I brought you some food.”

Jack looks down at the cookies, “What the fuck am I supposed to do with these?”

Michelle, “Eat them! Enjoy them! I had to ask a lot of questions to figure out this is where you are, and if I get caught, I could end up in here, as well!”

Jack: “What’s going on? How- how many days has it been?”

Michelle, “I- I don’t know, four? I guess today makes five.”

Jack shudders, “Five days. It’s been five days.”

Michelle, “Jack, you have to stay strong.”

Jack: “Strong? Stay strong? Against what? What I am I supposed to be staying strong for?! David is dead!”

Michelle: “Dad has this crazy idea about breaking you down and turning you into a zombie!”

Jack, “Fine! I’d rather be a zombie than be stuck with the memories of watching David die!”

Michelle cries, “Please, Jack, I- I think I can talk to Dad. I think I can get him to change, I-”

Jack interrupts, “He’s never going to change, Michelle! He’s always been like this! You’re only just now starting to see it!”

Michelle wipes her eyes, “I’m going to try to get you out of here, okay?”

Jack, “Don’t!” he pauses, and his tone grows quiet and serious, “All my life, I’ve done nothing but try to be the person Dad wants me to be. If this is the only way I can be that person, maybe it’s for the best.”

Michelle, sobbing, “Please don’t say that.”

Jack pushes the cookies back out onto Michelle’s side of the door, “Get out of here, Michelle. Don’t come back to try to talk to me until Dad says you can.” He shuts the door.

  * In an MSS prison cell, Andrew sits, his legs crossed and back upright, imperious. He has a black eye and his hair is slightly messy, but he maintains his dignity. A guard, followed by Reinhardt, approaches and unlocks the door.



Andrew, “If you’re going to try interrogating me, you already know what answers I’ll give you.”

Reinhardt, “You’re being released.”

Andrew, “Oh, wonderful.” He stands up and heads out the cell door.

Reinhardt cuts him off, “You are being watched. If I get the slightest hint of a conspiracy from you-”

Andrew cuts him off, “My father called your wife’s parents, didn’t he?”

Reinhardt glares at him.

Andrew smirks and goes on, “They’re old friends. Thought Lydia was marrying below her, but she cleaned you up.”

Reinhardt, “You are being released on my authority. Say one more word and I will throw you back in-”

Andrew interrupts him again, “But you won’t because the MSS still needs its guns.” He steps past Reinhardt, “Thank you for your kindness, Director!” He walks away as Reinhardt fumes.

  * At the palace, Jessie stands in line at the ministry of veteran’s affairs, Robert, Ethan, and James hanging sadly behind her.



She goes up to the bureaucrat at the desk, “I’m here to pick up my son’s body.”

Bureaucrat, “Combat deaths are usually sent to a specified funeral home-”

Jessie, “He wasn’t a combat death. My son is David Shepherd.”

Bureaucrat, “Oh. I- I’m so sorry. I believe the Ministry of Justice is who you should be talking to.”

Jessie, “Yes, I spent all of yesterday waiting in line there only to be told that it was a matter for Veteran’s Affairs.”

Bureaucrat, “Okay, I’m going to have to get my supervisor…” she turns around, “Hey Mark, can you come help?”

Mark comes up, “Yes?”

Bureaucrat, “This uh… is David Shepherd’s mother and she’s looking for a body.”

Mark, “The Ministry of Justice handles executions.”

Behind Jessie, Robert and James throw their heads back in exasperation, “Oh, come on!”

Jessie, losing her patience, “I am not going back there!”

Mark, “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do-”

Jessie snaps, “Do you know how many times I’ve heard that in the past four days?!” The whole room goes quiet.

Jessie, “I’ve lost two sons in six months! The only thing that has given me the tiniest bit of comfort is knowing that I could bury David close to home, beside his brother and father! I’ve bought a plot, chosen a coffin, even picked out a headstone, but I can’t do anything because there’s no body! Somebody should be able to tell me where my son’s body is, and I don’t give a damn what ministry they work for!”

Bureaucrat, feeling pity, “I’m sorry, ma’am I’ll look into it.”

Mark, “It may take a few more days.”

James puts a hand on Jessie’s shoulder, “Come on, Mom.”

Jessie, defiantly, “I’m not leaving!”

James, insistent, “Mom!”

Jessie, “You boys can go back home, but I’m not leaving until I can take David back home with me!”

  * Back in Gath, a doctor walks David down a hallway, and into a room, where the seven survivors of the woods sit and wait to meet David.



Doctor: “Here they are, the other seven people who have made it to Gath,” He points to them and reads names, “Martin O’Donnell, Gabrielle Whitney, Robbie Acevedo, Abigail Hatch, Patrick Chen, Alyssa Howland, and Rabbi Asher Levinson.”

David nods to each one of them in greeting, “Hi. I supposed you already know who I am. Please don’t call me Captain Shepherd or anything, just David.”

Doctor: “Is there anything else you all need?”

David: “No, just leave us alone.”

The doctor leaves and closes the door.

David sits down, “How did the rest of you get here?”

Martin, “I’m pretty fast. I used to run track, so, when the guns started firing, I ran.”

David, “Always good to be fast.” He looks to the others, “How about the rest of you?”

Patrick, “I ran, too.”

Gabrielle: “On the second day, I ran into three soldiers. They said they’d give me food and water and let me go if I fucked them, so I did.”

David: “You do what you gotta do.”

Abby (mousy-lookign girl with reddish hair) speaks up, “I knew there was a road about a few miles from camp. I ran away from the bombs, and then went towards the road. When I got there, I hitched a ride and made up a story about having a fight with my boyfriend and being abandoned on the side of the road. I was driven to within a mile of the border, and then I walked the rest of the way, and said I wanted to defect.”

David: “Shit, that’s smart. I wish I’d thought of that.” He looks around the room, “What about you, Rabbi?”

Asher smiles wryly, “I’m not the first member of my family to escape from a megalomaniac trying to exterminate us.”

David laughs inappropriately loudly for an uncomfortably long period of time. The others look at each other awkwardly.

David: “Shit! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it’s not funny, it’s fucking horrible, I just… If I don’t laugh, I’m going to fucking scream, and if I start screaming, I’m not going to stop. We are fucked. We are so fucking fucked. If anyone thinks I’m going to carry this rebellion on, they’re fucking mistaken. I’m not leading shit!”

Asher: “I know Reverend Samuels gave you a flash drive with a list of crimes that King Silas has committed. I know because I made that file. You still need to release that.”

David shakes his head, “Shaw wants me to make this big announcement, go on air during Silas’s address, ‘Guess what, I’m not dead!’ I’m not doing that.”

Asher: “Why not? Create a big splash, get a big audience, get people to listen to what you have to say.”

David: “I am done. I’m going back home. I’m from the borderlands, so I can do that!”

Asher, “What about those of us who can’t go back home? Are you just going to say fuck you all, fuck everyone who’s suffering under Silas?”

David: “People think I’m a leader, and I never wanted to lead. I’m not leading shit!”

Asher: “If people think you’re a leader, then you’re already a leader, like it or not.”

David looks hard at Asher. He looks around at the faces surrounding him, and quietly says, “Can I talk to you alone?”

In David’s hospital room, he talks to Asher, “Samuels told me that God has chosen me to be king. Is that true?”

Asher: “I don’t know.”

David: “Silas says God is on his side. Shaw says God is on his side. What does God want?”

Asher: “I’d venture to say that they’re all wrong. God’s true will is unknowable.”

David: “So what am I supposed to do?”

Asher: “We as humans may never know what God wants. But God made us in his image. That doesn’t mean that God has opposable thumbs and walks upright. It means that humans are able to think and reason, and we know right from wrong. Goodness and doing the right thing are hard-wired into us as a species, we’d never survive without it. And that’s the closest thing we have to a knowable God. It’s when men forget this and focus on their own will that God is lost and forgotten.”

David: “Does that mean I’m supposed to be king?”

Asher: “There’s a saying, ‘If not me, who? If not now, when?’”

David: “What the fuck does that mean?”

Asher: “It means stop being a pussy and lead your people.”

David sighs, “I’ll do the announcement. I don’t want my mom to think that I’m dead."

  * At the national church, Ethan, Robert, and James look around.



A pastor, Reverend Ealy, comes up and greets them, “Can I help you?”

James, “Yeah, we’re looking for Reverend Samuels.”

Ealy, “I’m sorry, he’s not available at the moment.”

James, “Well can you make him available? We’re David Shepherd’s brothers, and uh, our mom could really use some spiritual guidance right now.”

Ealy, “Reverend Samuels has been out of communication for the past few days.”

Robert, “Past few days? How many days exactly?”

Ealy, “I don’t know.”

Robert, “When was the last time you saw him?”

Ealy thinks, “I- I saw him leave, actually, to counsel your brother before his execution.”

Robert, “Did he talk to David?”

Ealy, “He regularly counsels condemned prisoners. He prays with them.”

Robert thinks for a moment, “And you seriously don’t know where he is?”

Ealy sighs, somewhat chagrined, “This isn’t unusual for Ephraim.”

Robert, “Huh.”

Ethan, dejected, “Come on. Let’s go see if we can talk some sense into Mom.”

Robert looks at his brothers, “You guys don’t think it’s weird?”

James, “What?”

Robert, “David and Reverend Samuels disappear at the same time.”

Ethan, “Robert, don’t. David didn’t disappear. He was killed.”

Robert, “Until we see a body, we don’t know that!”

James, “What, he just rose on the third day?”

Robert, “What if Samuels helped him get out of it?!”

Ethan, “It’s called magical thinking, Robert. It’s a part of the denial stage of grief. You start to think of impossible things and hope they’re real. It’s normal. It happens when you lose someone.”

Robert, somewhat deflated, “I- come on. Why haven’t we gotten his body?”

Ealy, “Your brother is right, I’m afraid. If you or your family needs help, I can get you in touch with a grief counselor.”

Ethan, “That would be nice. We could probably use it.”

Robert, “Nah, don’t- don’t worry about it. Just… please have Reverend Samuels call us when he returns, okay? He’s the one we want to talk to.”

Ealy, “I certainly will. And I will keep your family in my prayers.”

Outside the church, James pulls his phone out, “Shit.”

Robert, “What?”

James, “Mom’s gone viral.”

  * In the palace lobby, Jessie sits talking to a reporter and TV camera, “I just want to bury my son next to his brother and father, that’s all.” All around her is a crowd of die-hard fangirls, David supporters, glaring haters, and curious and morbid onlookers.



Ethan, Robert, and James hurry through the crowd, “Mom!”

Jessie turns to them as they reach her.

Ethan, “Mom, what are you doing?”

Jessie, “What does it look like I’m doing?”

In the background, Robert and James stare awkwardly at the camera.

Ethan looks at the reporter and camera guy, “Can you please give us some space?”

Behind him, Robert and James try posing sexily.

Ethan turns back and sees them, “Knock it off, will you?!”

Jessie, “I’m just trying to find anyone who can help me at this point!”

A very unhappy-looking Reinhardt comes through the crowd, “Mrs. Shepherd!”

Jessie looks over and sees him, “Do you know where my son’s body is?”

Reinhardt goes up to her, “Mrs. Shepherd, I’m sure by now you must know who I am.”

Jessie gives him a Look.

Reinhardt, stifling his anger, “My name is Caesar Reinhardt, I’m the director of the Ministry of State Security.”

Jessie, “I know who you are.”

Reinhardt, “May I please speak with you privately?”

Jessie, “Not unless you can tell me where David is.”

Reinhardt, “I’m afraid it’s a matter of state security.”

Jessie, tears in her eyes, “He’s dead! How can he still be dangerous when he’s dead?”

Reinhardt, “Mrs. Shepherd, I-”

Jessie, “I’ve given so much for my country, for my king, how much more do I have to give?!” The crowd applauds in support.

Up on the balcony, Michelle looks down at the crowd. She sighs sadly and heads down.

Reinhardt sighs, knowing he’s out-matched, “I’ll look into it myself, ma’am, but it will likely take a few more days.”

Jessie, “It’s a body! David was tall! How can you just lose it?!”

Reinhardt, “I assure you, it’s not lost.”

Jessie, “Then where is it? Where is he?!”

Reinhardt, “I will look into it personally!”

James leans into Ethan and whispers, “I told you, it’s not crazy.”

Ethan, “Do not tell Mom that!”

James, “You honestly don’t think that this whole thing is more than a little weird?!”

Reinhardt hears them and gives them a harsh glare.

Jessie, “What’s weird?”

Ethan, before James can say anything, “Nothing!”

James, “Something’s not adding up here, okay? If nobody knows where David’s body is, maybe it’s because… he’s still alive.”

Ethan, “Jesus, James!”

Murmurs go through the crowd.

Reinhardt, “That is absolutely not the case, I assure you!”

Jessie looks at her sons, hopeful, heart-broken and confused.

Behind her, Michelle approaches, “Mrs. Shepherd?”

Reinhardt, "I have this situation quite under control, your highness!”

Michelle ignores him and talks to Jessie, “I’m sorry you’re in this situation. This is absolutely inexcusable. I can’t believe that people have allowed this to happen.”

Reinhardt rolls his eyes dramatically.

Jessie, softly, "You were friends with David, weren’t you?”

Michelle nods and smiles politely, “Yes, I was.” She grows sadder, more serious, and lowers her voice, “I also know what happened to David. Can I speak with you and your sons privately?”

  * In a small private room, Michelle talks to Jessie, Ethan, Robert, and James. Michelle, “David was rescued from his execution and taken to a rebel camp.” Jessie gasps.



James, “I knew it! I fucking knew it!”

Michelle, “But my father ordered an army raid on the camp. David was killed. He’s dead.”

James deflates. Ethan nods with grim acceptance, and Jessie’s eyes fill with tears.

James, “How do you know?”

Michelle, “I- I saw it happen. My father had a live stream of the raid. David ran into some nearby woods and got hit with a lot of bombs. There… there might not be anything left for you to bury.”

Jessie sobs quietly.

Michelle’s eyes fill with tears, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry-”

Ethan cuts her off, “And you just fucking let him get murdered.”

Jessie, “Ethan!”

Michelle, “I did what I could, but it wasn’t much. Dad’s going to make an address tonight. It’s probably best if you go home for that.”

Jessie, “Thank you, your highness.” She turns back to her boys, “Come on, we’re going home.”

In the hallway, Ethan, Robert and James follow angrily behind Jessie.

Someone in the crowd asks, “What happened?”

Ethan snaps, “David’s dead!”

  * Andrew walks into his apartment, carrying a convenience store bag. The place has been ransacked- every possible place has been searched, and no one has cleaned it up. Andrew sighs and places his coat on the back of his sofa. He sits down and pulls out the contents of his bag: a burner phone. He takes it out of its packaging, and punches in a number.



On the other end, in his fancy new beach house in Moab, William answers, “Hello?”

Andrew, “Hello, Dad. How is Moab?”

William, “Jesus, Andrew I told you not to call me!”

Andrew, “I’m using a disposable phone, and I need to talk to you.”

William, “A burner phone? Like a drug dealer?”

Andrew, “They’re very useful for making covert schemes. Perhaps if you’d have used them, I  
wouldn’t have gotten arrested.”

William, “That’s your fault, don’t blame me!”

Andrew sighs, “I’m assuming you guessed there was a good chance I would get arrested. I’m also going to assume that you believed that you’d get me out of jail the moment Jack assumed the throne. That didn’t work. I’ve only just got out.”

William, “That’s not at all what I had planned, nothing went like it was supposed to!”

Andrew, “What are you going to do now? Silas is alive and no one has heard or seen Jack since.”

William, “Don’t worry, I’ll think of something. I’ll have to pull a few strings, but I can get you out of Gilboa-”

Andrew, “I’m not leaving Gilboa.”

William, “What?”

Andrew, “I just got back. I don’t want to leave.”

William, “Come on, Andrew!”

Andrew, “You don’t have any use for me in Moab, so why should I go there? Besides. Someone needs to stay here, in case circumstances change.”

William, “At least look out for yourself. Don’t go and do anything stupid.”

Andrew, “Don’t worry. I’ve left my youthful indiscretions behind me.”

William sighs and thinks for a moment, “Listen, Andrew, it… it never occurred to me that you might not make it to Moab with me. I thought for sure this would work.”

Andrew bristles, but his tone of voice remains unaffected, “Don’t worry. I don’t blame you.”

William, “Really, Andrew, I-”

Andrew interrupts, “Goodbye, Dad.” He hangs up.

  * At the media room in the palace, Silas sits in place, getting his final makeup touch-ups.



Rose comes over with another tie, “Wear this. The blue washes you out. The red in this one is much more powerful.”

Silas takes the tie, “What would I do without you?”

Behind the cameras, Michelle paces nervously.

A tech person asks, “Are you all right, your highness?”

Michelle smiles politely, “I’m fine. I’m just nervous for no reason.” She looks over where Rose makes the final adjustments to Silas’s tie and fixes his hair. Michelle twists her hands and fidgets nervously.

The director announces, “Everyone to your places!”

Rose goes over to join Michelle. They stand side by side and give Silas two warm, supportive smiles. The lights turn on, and the blank screens around the room fill with Silas’s face.

Director: “3…2…1… go!”

o In his apartment, Andrew watches, languid with boredom.

o Back at home, Jessie watches tearfully, he sons all around her.

o Silas, “Good evening, citizens of Gilboa. Tonight, I announce that Reverend Ephraim Samuels and Captain David Shepherd are both dead.”

Suddenly, the screens go black. Silas keeps going on with his speech, unaware. Around the room, teach people freak out. Michelle looks around nervously at the black screens.

Silas realizes something is amiss, “What’s going on?”

Director: “Just some technical difficulties, we’ll get you right back on air, sir!”

David’s face appears on the screen, “This is David Shepherd, still alive, and speaking to the citizens of Gilboa live from a safe location in Gath, where I am no longer under the threat of death at the hands of a madman.”

Michelle sees David on screen, and her jaw drops.

o Andrew’s eyes widen.

o Jessie screams in amazement and astonishment.

James, “I told you! I fucking told you!”

o In Gath, David goes on: “I call on the people of Gilboa to join me. The time has come to enter open revolt against King Silas Benjamin.”

o Silas watches, his face blank, mouth slack, fury slowly building up in his like a volcano.

o Shaw smirks as David goes on, “Five nights ago, I was saved from execution and brought to a rebel camp by Reverend Ephraim Samuels, who gave me a list of crimes committed by King Silas against the people of Gilboa. When the army raided our camp that night, Reverend Samuels was killed, but I survived and escaped.”

o Silas rises to his feet and screams, “WHAT IS THIS? WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS? HE’S DEAD! HE IS _DEAD_! I FUCKING KILLED HIM!”

Michelle, forgetting herself for a moment, laughs.

Silas runs up to her and grabs her violently by the arms, “What did you do? What did you do?!”

Michelle: “Nothing! Nothing!”

Rose tries to pull Silas away from Michelle, “Silas, calm down, please!”

Silas won’t relent, “You helped him!”

Michelle: “I didn’t!”

Silas: “How did you do this?”

Michelle pulls away and gets an arm loose. She clocks Silas across the face, and he stumbles backwards.

Rose: “Michelle!”

Michelle, tearful, “I didn’t do anything! I thought David was dead, too!”

Rose rushes over to Silas, “Silas! You have to get back on air! We can’t go back on air with just empty space!” She points him over to where he was sitting.

David goes on, “The measles epidemic in the borderlands was intentional. Vaccines were withheld from hospitals, doctor’s offices, and clinics, and disease released among vulnerable children in order to get borderland families to come to cities like Shiloh.”

Michelle listens on in horror. Rose frantically tries to fix Silas’s hair.

She puts a hand on his face, “Shit!”

Silas: “What?”

Rose: “Your daughter gave you a black eye. It’s getting darker,” she stands up, “Makeup!”

Silas, “It’s too late, it’ll take too long to fix it!”

David goes on: “Finally, King Silas has lied about his own family. He has an illegitimate son by the name of Seth. He lives on a farm in the country, and King Silas leads a double life, visiting there regularly, without the knowledge of Queen Rose, Princess Michelle, and Prince Jack.”

Michelle looks on, confused.

She turns back to Silas, “Is that true?”

Silas, “What?”

Michelle: “You have another son? Seth?”

Silas is terrified, but keeps outward calm, “Not now, puppy.”

Michelle looks back at the TV.

David: “Undoubtedly, King Silas has committed many more crimes that go unlisted here. As citizens, we ask, what can be done? We must resist. We must demand honesty from our leaders. We must demand our personal freedoms. The time has come for Silas Benjamin to step down. Good night, Gilboa.”

The screen darkens, and Silas reappears on screen. Tech people scramble.

  * In Gath, David looks nervously at the faces of the seven survivors, who give him grim but supportive smiles.



Shaw: “You did good, David.”

David stands up and goes over to a TV screen, where a flustered Silas appears.

David: “Now what’s Silas gonna say?”

  * In Shiloh, Rose goes over and stands by Michelle.



Silas, caught by surprise, looks into the camera uneasily, “Citizens, I urge you to remain calm and to not listen to the lies and slander sputtered out in desperation by a power-hungry traitor! David Shepherd wants to be king, and I am king!” He stands up, “No one else is king of Gilboa but me! I was chosen by GOD! Ephraim Samuels has been trying to overthrow me for years, and this is his latest, most pathetic attempt! I AM KING! I make the decisions that affect the fate of this country and the lives of its citizens! Anyone who tries to oppose me will come to an ugly ending! I will fucking destroy anyone who gets the idea in their head that they can put their dirty fucking hands on my crown! I am the king of Gilboa, as chosen by GOD, and I will remain so until God decides otherwise! FUCK!” He storms off, leaving dead air.

Rose: “Silas!” She goes to follow him, but Michelle calls, “Mom!”

Rose turns around, “What?”

Michelle: “Did you know?”

Rose: “Know what?”

Michelle: “Dad has another son?”

Rose shakes her head, “Of course I knew. My job is to keep your father happy. I’ve always done what I had to.” She turns around and goes after Silas.

Michelle stands by herself for a moment, thinking, but then she goes off to a tech guy, “Can you help me for a second?”

Tech guy: “What?”

Michelle: “Do you know where I can get a pair of bolt cutters?”

Tech guy: “Bolt cutters? I dunno, try a maintenance closet.”

  * Michelle, wearing a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers, sneaks into the dungeon again, carrying a backpack, a pile of clothes, and a pair of bolt cutters. She goes over to Jack’s cell. She puts the clothes on the floor and cuts the lock on his door. It swings open.



Jack, lying on his bed, looks over in surprise, “What the hell are you wearing?”

Michelle tosses him a hoodie, “David’s alive. We’re leaving.”


	3. S2, E3: Exodus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omfg 167 hits! 5 kudos! I can't believe people are actually reading this! Next, I'd really, really love a comment! Be brutally honest! I want to know what you think!

3\. “ **Exodus** ” Jack, sitting on his bed, “What? How?” A smile grows over his face.

Michelle: “I don’t know, but he was just on TV and definitely still fucking alive, and we need to get out of here right now.”

Jack pulls the hoodie on, “What? Where are we going?” He goes over to Michelle.

Michelle: “We’re going to Gath, that’s where David is.” She leads Jack out of the dungeon.

Jack, “We can’t just go through the front door, security will stop us.”

Michelle: “I know that!”

Jack, “So where the fuck are we going?”

Michelle: “I don’t know! I- I didn’t really plan this out.”

Jack: “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Michelle!”

Michelle: “Do you want to get out of here, or not?”

Jack: “We can go the back way. There usually aren’t guards there.”

  * They reach the back maintenance entry of the palace. Jack peers around the corner, and gestures for Michelle to follow him. They hurry away from the door, towards the street.



Jack: “You have to plan this shit out.”

Suddenly a voice behind them, “Hey!” They stop in their tracks.

A security guard comes up behind them, holding a flashlight, “Just who the hell are you?” He grabs Jack and turns him around, shining the light in his eyes. Michelle turns around, as well.

Michelle, “Look, just let us go, we don’t want any trouble.”

Guard: “Trying to escape?”

Jack: “If you turn us in, our dad will kill both of us. We aren’t doing anything, we just want to get out.”

The guard laughs, “Silas? Fuck Silas, man! Go join Captain Shepherd! Hell, I might even join you!” He turns around and walks away, leaving them.

Michelle shudders, “Oh, fuck.”

Jack: “Come on.” He pulls on her arm and leads her forward.

  * They exit the palace gates and go out into the crowded area around the front of the palace. Anti-Silas demonstrators have taken over. The atmosphere is carnival-like, but still distinctly eerie, and all the freaks who are usually forced into the shadows have come out in full force. Two women harmonize to “Toxicity” while one plays an acoustic guitar.



Jack and Michelle walk slowly and carefully, taking in the surreal sights around them. There are impassioned speeches, drag queens, fire dancers, jugglers, contortionists, fireworks, other performance artists, all out doing their thing, along with a myriad of colorful protesters who are all happy to finally celebrate their resistance. A Shepard Fairey-esque portrait of David with the word KING underneath it is unfurled.

Jack sees the poster, and smiles, “Holy shit.”

A policeman climbs up onto a place where he can be seen above the crowd. He raises a megaphone to his mouth, “By the order of King Silas, this crowd will disperse!” The riot police that surround the place raise their guns.

Jack tugs on Michelle’s arm, “Come on, we should get out of here.”

Michelle: “Where are we gonna go?”

Jack: “Let’s try the subway.”

Michelle: “I’ve never been on the subway!”

Jack, “Well, now’s your chance to try it!”

Jack tries to navigate Michelle through the tightly packed crowd, but makes little progress.

The police officer continues to yell at the crowd, “Disperse! Disperse!” A cup full of soda sails through the air and hits the police officer, who falls over. The riot police begin firing rubber bullets into the crowd. People scream and begin to run.

Jack, “Shit! Come on!” He holds tightly to Michelle’s arm, and they run along with the crowd. White plumes of teargas explode, and people begin to cough and sputter. Jack protectively puts his arm around Michelle. He leads her away from the gas and down a street where people run for cover.

  * Up on his balcony, Andrew imperiously gazes down at the chaos in front of the palace (he lives right by the palace with a full view of its comings and goings). Plumes of tear gas rise below him, and protesters run away. Andrew watches it all with mute intensity. Thoughts boil behind his eyes. Questions and schemes begin to take shape.



  * Shaw leads David and the other survivors into the lobby of a once fancy, but time-worn hotel.



Shaw, “Normally, we invite our guests to stay at the palace, but with the number of you, I thought it would be better if we housed you in the next best place: The People’s Hotel. Right next door to the palace, it’s where all of Gath’s finest guests stay. You all have rooms reserved. Should more of you come out of the woods, they’ll be given rooms, here, too, until more permanent living situations can be found.”

David: “Thanks, it’s appreciated.”

Shaw: “You are all welcome as asylum-seekers in Gath. You will be provided with a small allowance to buy yourselves a new wardrobe and any technology you may need, phones and such, along with food and other necessities.”

David: “Again, thank you. Where are our rooms?”

Shaw: “Wait here in the lobby, I’ll speak to the concierge and get everything settled.”

David flops down onto a sofa and rubs his sore shoulder. The others sit down on the sofas around him.

David: “Does anyone else…. not want to be alone tonight?”

Asher looks at him, “What do you mean?”

David, “I dunno. I just can tell I’m not gonna be able to sleep, and the idea of staying up watching TV all by myself doesn’t seem very appealing.”

Abby: “I’ll join you. Give you someone to watch the news with.”

Asher: “Sure. I’ll join. I want to see what Silas’s face looked like when he realized you were alive.”

Abby: “This isn’t just another news story. This is something that’s gonna change the world. I want to see it.”

  * Protesters crowd into a tiny, illuminated storefront, seeking safety. People pour milk onto the faces of those affected by tear gas.



Jack keeps his arm tightly around Michelle, “Are you all right?”

Michelle: “Yeah, I’m good.”

Jack: “Are you sure?”

Michelle: “I’m fine! We need to think of what we’re gonna do next. We should get out of the city before Dad realizes we’re gone.”

Jack: “I can call Wednesday. I know she knows people in the resistance. Someone has to be able to get us to Gath. Do you have our phones?”

Michelle: “I do, but Dad can track our phones if we use them.”

Jack: “Shit! Okay, uh, let’s just get to Wednesday’s. We can take the subway!” He leads Michelle towards a subway station entrance a couple of blocks away. A huge crowd is gathered outside. A sign reads, “SUBWAY SERVICE CANCELLED FOR THE NIGHT.”

Jack, “Oh, son of a bitch! They can’t actually be doing this!”

Michelle: “Maybe we can just… ask someone with a car if they can give us a ride.”

Jack: “Ask someone? Do you really think someone who’s protesting our father is just going to happily give a ride to the prince and princess?!”

Michelle: “They won’t recognize us! I put these clothes on for a reason! When was the last time you saw me wearing a hoodie?”

Jack sighs, “All right, you’ve got a point,” he looks around, “We just gotta find someone.”

Inside a packed parking garage, Jack and Michelle dodge exiting vehicles and search for people leaving.

Jack asks a guy getting into his car, “Hey, are you going to 22nd street?”

Guy: “No, man, sorry!”

Jack: “Fuck!” he continues to look around frantically.

Michelle spots a group of people getting into a van, “Hey, are you going to be near 22nd Street?”

Driver: “Yeah, you need a lift?”

Michelle: “You have no idea!” She gestures for Jack to follow her, and he runs up. They climb into the packed van.

Michelle: “You guys are literally saving our lives! Thank you so much!”

Driver: “No problem.”

  * David, Abby, and Asher get settled into their room. Abby turns on the TV and flips it to a news channel. Images of the celebrating crowds being chased off by tear gas fill the screen.



David, “Oh, fuck me.”

Asher gives him a look, “Did you think people would look at your address and just be like, oh cool?”

David flops onto the bed, “I need to call my mom!”

Asher, “Good idea. I’ll call my parents when you’re done. You need to call yours, Abby?”

Abby, “Nah, my parents are fine.”

David picks up the phone on the bedside table and punches in a number. He listens for a moment, then smiles, and says, “Hi, Mom.”

o At the Shepherd phone, the Bros all listen intently around Jessie as she talks into the phone, “David? Is that really you, baby?”

David, “Yeah, Mom. It’s me. I wanted to tell you that I’m okay.”

James, “Put it on speaker, put it on speaker!”

Jessie sobs with relief and changes to speaker phone.

James, “They told us you were dead, man!”

David, “I swear, I would have called you earlier if I could have-”

Jessie, “That’s fine, baby, that’s fine. We know you’re safe, now.”

James, “Princess Michelle told us she watched you die!”

David, “What?”

James, “She said Silas made her watch it on a video feed or something.”

David, deeply concerned, “Oh my god. Did- did she mention anything about Prince Jack?”

James, “No.”

Ethan, “Why are you worried about him?”

David, “He tried to help save me.”

Jessie, “She didn’t say anything.”

David, growing sad, “Yeah. Uh, I- I’ve got other people here who want to call their parents, so uh, I should go. I’ll come by the farm as soon as I can, okay?”

Jessie, “Okay. I love you so much, David.”

David, “I love you, too, Mom. Bye.” He hangs up, and sighs forlornly.

  * In the palace, Silas goes into Michelle’s room, but sees she isn’t there. He looks around a bit, and calls for her, but no response. He goes looking for Rose, who sits at her vanity in their bedroom, “Have you seen Michelle?”



Rose: “No, I haven’t.”

Silas: “When was the last time you saw her?”

Rose: “Right after your address.”

Silas: “I want to talk to her.”

Rose: “I don’t know where she is. Have security look for her.”

  * Silas speaks to the head of security: “We’ve searched the palace, and there’s no sign of her.”



Silas: “Search again! She can’t have just disappeared!”

Security: “Do you have any idea where she might be?”

Silas: “I have one idea. I’ll check there myself.”

  * Silas goes down the dungeon hallway, security guards following behind him. He sees Jack’s cell door wide open, and starts running toward it, “No, no, no!” He reaches the door, and sees the cell is empty, “God fucking damn it!”



In his cell, Vesper raises his head in curiosity.

One of the security guards speaks into his radio, “We have a situation in the dungeon, there’s been an escape.”

Silas: “There’s been a kidnapping! There’s no way Michelle would just leave! This is Shepherd’s doing! I know it!” Silas goes into Vesper’s cell and slams the door shut.

Vesper sits up and greets him, “It’s difficult to judge the passage of time in here, but I believe  
this is an unusual hour for a visit.”

Silas: “Did you hear anything?”

Vesper: “I’ve been hearing quite a lot of screaming for the past view days. Who are you holding in there?”

Silas: “Did you hear anything tonight?!”

Vesper: “No. Unusually quiet, even.”

Silas storms out and slams the cell door behind him.

He yells at the security guards, “Put an alert out in the city, Jack escaped, and he’s kidnapped Michelle! Find him and bring him to me, I will kill him myself!”

  * David, Abby, and Asher watch the TV. The news shows images of a Humvee full of Gilboan soldiers, cheering and waving an image of David.



Reporter: “Entire units of Gilboan soldiers have begun defecting into Gath.”

David, dismayed, “Hoooooly shit, the _army_?!”

Asher, “Compulsory service means you’ve got a shitload of soldiers who don’t really want to be there.”

David: “What am I supposed to tell them when they get here? Where- where are they going to go?!”

Abby: “Talk to Shaw, he can figure something out.”

Asher: “If the border’s open, we’re likely to start seeing civilian resisters coming across it soon.”

David: “Why are they coming here?! I didn’t tell people to come here!”

Asher: “They’re coming here because of you.”

David: “I’m not leading an army! I’m not! Someone else has to do it, I- I can’t!”

Abby: “Why not?”

David: “I’m just a dumbass who grew up on a farm and blew up a tank!”

Abby shakes her head and looks at a convoy of defecting soldiers on the TV, “You’re fucked, man.”

• In the van, a joint gets passed around.

The guy sitting next to Jack: “You want a hit?”

Jack: “Gimme that.” He takes a hit, makes a face, and says, “Oh, that shit’s good.”

Michelle reaches for the joint, “Let me.”

Jack looks over at her, surprised, “Seriously?”

Michelle takes the joint.

Jack: “You know how to do it?”

Michelle grins at him, takes a hit, and blows the smoke in his face.

Jack laughs, “I thought I would never fucking see this day! My sister smoking a joint!”

Michelle passes the joint on, “Shut the fuck up. I’ve done this before.”

Jack, “Where?!”

Michelle, “None of your business.”

Jack, “So how you feelin’?”

Michelle, grinning: “Fine.” She laughs.

Guy next to Jack takes a hit and passes it back to Jack: “Man, I wish I coulda been in that room when Silas saw Shepherd’s face on the screen. That shit had to have been hilarious.”

Michelle takes another hit, coughs, and says, “I was there.” Jack nervously elbows her.

Girl: “No fuckin’ way! You are lying!”

Michelle: “Let’s just say my dad works at the palace, I get to see all kinds of shit.”

Guy: “So what did he do?”

Michelle, “He freaked the fuck out,” she laughs, “Like, got up and started screaming like, ‘I killed him! He is dead!’ His face was fuckin’ purple,” she giggles, “I have never seen that exact shade of purple before!” Guy and girl both laugh deliriously, and Michelle laughs along with them, “He was so pissed! Like raaaagh!” She makes monster hands, and laughs. Jack finally has to laugh, too.

Suddenly, red and blue lights flash up ahead of them.

Driver: “Shit, it’s a checkpoint!”

Guy stubs the joint out and hides it under his seat. The van rolls to a stop next to a police officer, who shines a flashlight at the driver.

The driver rolls the window down, “Yes, officer?”

Officer: “We have orders to search vehicles for certain wanted individuals.”

Driver: “Hey man, I dunno who you’re looking for, but they’re not in here, can I go?”

Officer: “I smell marijuana. Have you been smoking?”

Driver: “Your eyes are glazed, officer, have you been eating doughnuts?”

The officer is not amused, “Get out of the vehicle!”

Suddenly, Michelle runs up from behind and clobbers the officer over the head with a brick. She and Jack take off running as the driver and their two stoned buddies look on in bewilderment.

  * In the palace, Silas paces frantically back and forth while Rose sits, anxiously waiting.



Silas: “This can’t be happening. This cannot be happening!”

Rose touches her forehead, “This doesn’t make sense! How could Shepherd possibly have gotten someone into the palace?”

Silas: “I don’t know! He’s smart! He’s connected! This could have been his plan all along!”

Rose: “What are you going to do with Jack?”

Silas, “I’m not abandoning my plan! I’ll break him down and re-build him, you’ll see, I’m just going to have more security at his door!” He sighs, “He- he may need more drastic measures. There are things I never wanted to have to resort to, but I may be forced to do them.”

Rose: “Are you going to replace him with Seth?”

Silas stops pacing and looks at her, “No! No, no, Seth, Seth stays in the country, he- he’s sick, he can’t be brought out into the public.”

Rose: “You have to acknowledge him. There’s no way you can’t continue to pretend he doesn’t exist.”

Silas: “And I will do that when Michelle is safely back home! I’m focusing on one problem at a time!”

Rose: “At least think about how you’re going to explain Seth to Michelle. And Jack. If he’s gotten out, I guarantee he’s heard everything.”

Silas, sneering, “He deserves nothing.”

  * Jack and Michelle come to a stop in a dark alley. They both stand, struggling to catch their breath.



Jack: “What…. the fuck….”

Michelle: “You’re the one who passed me the joint.”

Jack: “Pot doesn’t make you jump out of a van, grab a brick, and hit a cop!”

Michelle: “Then I guess it was just quick thinking on my part.”

Jack steps back into the streetlight, and looks around, “I think we’re close to Wednesday’s, and I don’t see any police. We’ll have to walk. Come on.” He takes Michelle’s hand, and they begin to walk down the street.

  * At Wednesday’s loft, other resistance members, including Monique, sit around watching TV. There’s a knock at the door. Wednesday answers, and Jack and Michelle stand on the other side.



Jack: “We have to get to Gath.”

Wednesday and Monique help two other resistance members pack boxes into the back of an SUV. Jack and Michelle sit in the back seat.

Monique: “The borders are wide open. I don’t know how long they’re gonna stay that way, so you need to make good time.”

Rebel driver: “Don’t worry, we’ll get there.”

Monique looks over what’s been packed, “All right, you should be good.” She slams the back door shut. The two members get into the car, but Wednesday and Monique stay behind.

Jack rolls his window down, “You coming with us?”

Wednesday, “Wish I could, but I got business to do here in Shiloh.”

Monique: “You meeting up with David?”

Jack: “That’s the plan.”

Monique nods, “Tell him we’re here. Tell him we’re ready to do whatever he says.”

Jack nods, “Will do. You two keep fighting and stay safe, all right?”

Wednesday smiles, “See you, Jack.”

Jack rolls up the window, and the car begins to drive away.

The rebel in the passenger seat looks at her phone, “I’ve got all the checkpoints marked on a map. We can get out of the city, just follow my directions.”

Jack: “When you’re done, can I borrow your phone? I- I haven’t seen David’s speech. I want to see it.”

Rebel: “Yeah, sure, when we’re out of Shiloh.” Jack smiles, “Thanks.”

  * Andrew sits in his apartment, watching footage from David’s trial. He watches David as Jack reads the charges against him. He zooms in on Jack’s face as he breaks and announces the whole thing was a sham. He watches them both as David is lead away. He begins to realize things.



  * Silas paces around the living room.



Rose enters, wearing a dressing robe, “Silas, come to bed.”

Silas, “I can’t possibly sleep. Not until I know where Michelle is.”

Rose, exasperated, “Can you at least get off your feet? You’re supposed to be resting until you heal.”

Silas, “Rest is a luxury that I can’t afford!”

Rose goes over to him, “Let me at least change your bandages, then. I was supposed to change them hours ago. You don’t want an infection.”

She gently moves him towards the bedroom. In there, Silas sits on the bed and takes off his shirt while Rose lays a pile of gauze and tape beside him. Silas’s body is covered in scars from numerous battle wounds and the surgeries to fix them, including several old bullet wounds. Rose gently removes the bandage from the surgery incision wrapping around the side of his chest. It is lightly bloodied.

Rose, “Look at that. You’re bleeding. The wound is going to open up again.”

Silas, “Please don’t lecture me Rose, not tonight!”

Rose, “You’ll have plenty of time to rest when you’re back in the hospital.” She re-bandages his wounds with speed and ease. She’s done this before.

Silas winces and grimaces, “I can’t fucking believe Ephraim would do this. He made me king, and now he’s trying to overthrow me?”

Rose, “This was all William.”

Silas, “Were they working together?”

Rose, “I don’t know. Ephraim disliked William more than you and I ever did.”

Silas, softly, “When did Ephraim lose his faith in me?”

Rose, “I’m afraid you’d have to ask him yourself.”

Silas, “Why now, though? If he didn’t believe in me, why did he stay around? Why would he answer every time I asked him for advice? I- I know I was stubborn. I never listened, but I kept going to him anyway. I still never wanted to disappoint him. I trusted him. Who can I trust now?”

Rose puts the bandages down, and then puts her arms around Silas’s shoulders, “I wish I could tell you.”

Silas gets up. He grabs his shirt and puts it back on.

Rose, “Silas, please-”

He interrupts her, “I’m going into my office. I promise I’ll be a good boy and sit down. But I need to be alone.”

  * Silas sits in his office by himself. He watches a muted TV: protesters waving signs bearing David’s face. David making his address. An image of Samuels. He turns the TV off and looks away in fury. He looks at his shelves and sees a smiling family picture. He falters for a moment, almost overcome with emotion, but takes a deep breath and steadies himself.



He mutters, “Michelle will come back. God will deliver her safely back to me. Michelle will come back,” He looks upwards, “Do You hear that? You’re going to bring my little girl safely back to me, just like You guided her through her illness! You’ve done nothing but bless me, I know I have no reason to ask, but please, Michelle has to come home!” He starts to sob, “Please, just keep her safe. Keep her safe. Keep her safe! You can forsake me, but please, don’t forsake Michelle! Whatever happens, keep her safe!”

  * Andrew calls William, who answers his phone, bleary-eyed and irate, “Do you know what fucking time it is here?!”



Andrew, “Yes, you should be waking up soon, anyway.”

William, “Couldn’t you have waited to call?!”

Andrew, “David Shepherd is alive and in Gath.”

William, “Why the fuck does this matter to me?”

Andrew, “It matters because Jack is going to end up with Shepherd somehow, perhaps Michelle, too.”

William, “And just what makes you say this?”

Andrew, “Their relationship was closer than the public was led to believe.”

William, “Are you saying they were fucking?”

Andrew, “Yes.”

William, “Good for Jack. Either way, I highly doubt that any boyfriend could possibly mean more to him than Silas’s approval, no matter how good the dick is.”

Andrew, “David changes things, Dad.”

William, “What? Shepherd? He’s a shiny distraction. Silas will kill him for real soon enough.”

Andrew, “You need to take him seriously.”

William, “As what?”

Andrew, “As the next king of Gilboa.”

William, “Andrew, I know you think you understand politics, but trust me, if anyone who isn’t me or you is going to be the next king, it’s Caesar Reinhardt.”

Andrew, “David is more popular than Reinhardt ever was.”

William, “Shepherd is popular among hysterical, horny teenage girls.”

Andrew, “You aren’t here! You aren’t in Shiloh! People are already demanding that David be made king!”

William, “Yeah, well, what’s Shepherd gonna do? Send his army of fangirls to tear Silas limb from limb?”

Andrew, “Don’t underestimate David. Silas already did, and he’s paying for it.”

  * In the SUV, Jack holds a phone and watches David speak. He takes a deep, shaking breath, and tears fill his eyes. Michelle leans her head against Jack’s shoulder and watches David speak.



Jack, softly, “This is God’s doing. David came back from the dead.”

Michelle, “He was never dead, we just thought he was.”

Jack wipes his eyes, “This is a miracle. There’s absolutely no other explanation for it. David’s alive, and we’re out of the palace, and we’re going to go be with David! How does that happen?”

Michelle gently takes the phone.

Jack: “What are you doing? It’s not over!”

Michelle: “At the end of his speech, David says something, and, I think you should hear it from me, first.”

Jack: “What?”

Michelle: “We have a brother. His name is Seth, and Dad’s been keeping him secret.”

Jack, bewildered, “What?”

Michelle: “It’s what David said, and that’s all I know, but… I asked Mom. She said she knew about him.”

Jack: “Is… is he sick?”

Michelle, tearing up: “I don’t know. But when we get to Gath, I’m going to be the one who talks to Dad. To Silas. He’s not our dad anymore. You can go do whatever it is you want with David, but I need to be the one who talks to Da-” she stops, and corrects herself, “Silas.”

Jack nods, “Okay.” He puts his hand on Michelle’s arm and squeezes it reassuringly, and Michelle gives him her best smile back.

  * In David’s room, there’s a knock at the door.



Asher goes up and gets it, “Yes?” Jack and Michelle stand on the other side.

Jack looks past Asher, “David?”

David hears Jack’s voice and jumps out of the bed. Jack pushes past Asher, and sees David standing there. David runs to Jack and grabs him in a tight embrace, “Jack!” David laughs, cries, and kisses Jack passionately.

Jack, whispering, “I thought you were dead.”

David, “I thought you were dead!” David kisses Jack again and again.

Jack, “Dad made me watch a feed of the raid. I thought I’d watched you die!”

David sobs, and sinks to his knees, overwhelmed. Jack kneels beside him and holds him. Asher and Abby all look at each other, completely dumbfounded.

Michelle enters the room behind them, and looks around, awkwardly, “I know you all are looking for an explanation, and I swear, you’ll get one, but right now I have to call my dad and tell him I’m safe.”

  * Michelle enters an empty hotel room and turns on the light. She looks around at the shabby furnishings and drops her backpack on the bed. She unzips it, rummages around inside for a moment, and pulls out her phone. She sits on the bed and turns it on.



o In Shiloh, someone goes into Silas’s office, where he sits alone, “Sir, we’ve got a phone call from Princess Michelle. Would you like to put her on video?”

Silas, his face lighting up, “Yes!” ([“Numb” Jamelia](https://youtu.be/YgsPMr0FhQk))

Silas appears on Michelle’s phone, “Michelle? Oh, thank God you’re safe! Where are you?”

Michelle, unemotional, “I’m in Gath with Jack and David.”

Silas, furious, “What did he do to you?!”

Michelle tries to speak but Silas keeps interrupting, “I’m sending a team to rescue you right now! I swear to god I’m going to kill that ungrateful little cocksucker with my bare hands for doing this to you! Did Shepherd have anything to do with this?!”

Michelle barks, “Stop interrupting me, Silas!”

Silas backs off.

Michelle: “Jack did nothing. I’m the one who broke him out. We escaped to Gath together, and right now, he and David are _fucking_. You’re going to answer some questions, Silas.”

Fear crawls into Silas’s heart. He’s fucked up, and Michelle is in control.

Silas: “What do you want to know?”

Michelle takes a deep breath, “How long have Jack and I had a brother?”

Silas, “Nine years.”

Michelle: “So he was conceived while I was sick.”

Silas: “Yes.”

Michelle: “Who’s his mother?”

Silas: “Helen Pardis.”

Michelle’s eyes widen in shock, “Helen? Helen was my favorite nurse! She’d bring me cookies! She left the hospital to have a baby! Was that baby Seth?”

Silas, deeply ashamed, “Yes.”

Michelle’s voice lowers, showing a tiny bit of emotion for the first time, “Is he sick?”

Silas hesitates, but then answers, “Yes.”

Michelle is hurt in a way she’s never been hurt before, but she refuses to show her anger and sadness.

Silas: “I am so sorry, puppy.”

Michelle, still holding back all her emotion, “Why didn’t you tell us?”

Silas: “All of this, everything I’ve done, has been to protect you.”

Michelle: “Were you protecting me when you fucked Helen?”

Silas: “Michelle, please…”

Michelle: “When were you going to tell us?”

Silas: “When the time was right.”

Michelle: “And when is that time? When Seth needs a new heart? When he’s dead?”

Silas, tearing up, “Please, don’t destroy this monarchy!”

Michelle: “I’m not destroying anything, Silas, you are! If the monarchy fails, it’s entirely your fault! All the pain you’ll feel, every bit of suffering you’ll experience, you brought it upon yourself, and no one else! You deserve all of it! You knew I was sick, you knew it was genetic, and you had another child! I don’t know how many times that I told you I never want to put another child through what I went through, and you did, and then you lied to my face about it! Seth is suffering because of your mistake! You don’t even know how much of a monster you are!”

Silas weeps, “I’m so sorry, Michelle. Please, can you forgive me?”

Michelle shakes her head, “No. You hurt me. You hurt Jack. You hurt Seth. You hurt everyone you claim to love. I can never forgive that.”

Silas: “Can you at least cry?”

Michelle, deadpan: “No, Silas, no. You aren’t worth it.” Michelle ends the call.

Silas stares helplessly at a blank screen, “Michelle! Michelle! Please, Michelle!”

Michelle sits on her bed and stares blankly at the floor.

o In their room, Jack and David make love.

o Michelle’s emotions sweep over her, and she looks like she’s going to cry.

o Jack lays on David’s shoulder.

o Michelle stops, and takes a deep breath, composing herself.

o Jack: “I don’t ever want to be king.”

David: “Why?”

o Michelle looks around the room and sees the faint blue of sunrise in her window.

o Jack: “I don’t ever want to turn into my father.”

o Michelle stands up and walks over to the window. She puts her hand on the glass and looks out at sunrise over the city.


	4. S2, E4: I Pray For Revolution

4\. “I Pray for Revolution” ([“What’s Up” 4 Non Blondes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NXnxTNIWkc)) A female guard walks down the hallway of the jail where the rebel captives are being held. Prisoners jeer at her, but she remains calm. She turns down another hallway, one without cells. She passes a closet, and the door opens. A hidden prisoner, Shay Mendoza (Filipina butch lesbian), jumps out and drags her into the closet without making a sound. A few moments later, Shay walks out of the closet, wearing a guard uniform. She holds up a keyring and smiles.

  * Shay unlocks the door of a cell full of rebels, “Clemens, Bronikov, you’re being transferred.” Joel Bronikov (burly guy with tattoos) and Isaiah Clemens (Character insp: Theo from _Die Hard_ ) get up and follow her. Another guard sits at the computer console that controls the prison’s doors.



Word comes over his radio: “We have a situation in the cafeteria, we need all hands!”

The guard gets up and hurries off. Shay leads Isaiah to the computer console, and he gets to work. The guard goes into the cafeteria, where he’s stopped by a group of smirking rebels with guns and other guards tied up behind them. Isaiah works the computer. He presses a button, and every cell door of the prison opens.

Joel gets over the loudspeaker, “We’re getting the fuck out of here! Down with King Silas, long live Ephraim Samuels and David Shepherd! Everyone who’s going to Gath, get to the back door!”

Prisoners joyously pour from their cells and run down the hallway. Outside, a semi-truck sits with its trailer open. The back door opens, and prisoners run out, leaping and shouting with elation. Rebels climb into the back of the semi. They hug and hi-five and Joel, Isaiah, and Shay join them. The back door of the trailer shuts, and the semi takes off, barreling down the highway towards Gath. (“I scream from the top of my lungs…”)

  * “What the fuck is going on here?” Silas, still sporting a nasty black eye, is briefed on the prison break by Abner and Reinhardt.



Reinhardt: “From what we’ve been able to tell, the leaders of the prison break are Colonel Shay Mendoza, Isaiah Clemens, and Joel Bronikov.”

Silas, “Colonel? Is she one of my soldiers?”

Abner: “Colonel Mendoza was one of the highest-ranking and most decorated female soldiers in the army. She’s certified in hand-to-hand combat and marksmanship, and successfully led a number of stealth missions with no losses on our side. She served with honor and distinction, right until she was arrested at Samuels’s rebel camp.”

Silas: “What about Clemens and Bronikov?”

Reinhardt: “Clemens was a doctorate student in engineering at The University of Shiloh, specializing in explosives. He has a brother who works in IT for CrossGen, and his parents are loyal subjects. Clemens has shown no signs of subversion before, which makes me believe he was radicalized somehow. As for Bronikov, he’s a political agitator. He has a law degree and started out with an internship at a major law firm here in Shiloh, but that ended when he was arrested as a part of network of radical anarchists. Even behind bars, he’s carried on his political crusading. He’s started a strike in every facility that he’d been in.”

Silas: “How the fuck did he get out of prison and to Samuels’s camp?”

Reinhardt: “It appears that there was some sort of clerical error in his paperwork, which may be the work of another resister getting Bronikov out of jail.”

Abner: “It had to have been Samuels. Our prison guards are loyal!”

Silas: “And meanwhile, I have mass defections of soldiers into Gath! What in god’s name is happening to my country?!”

His phone buzzes. Everyone stares awkwardly at his phone, sitting beside him on the table. The screen flashes “MESSAGE FROM JACK.” Silas takes his phone and accepts the message. It’s an adorable morning-in-bed-after-fucking-all-night selfie with David kissing Jack’s cheek, and the caption, “Hope your morning is as great as mine!” Silas stands up furiously hurls the phone against a wall, shattering it. His advisors flinch in utter terror.

Silas sits back down and without missing a beat, says, “What can be done about Mendoza, Clemens, and Bronikov?”

Abner, uncomfortably, “You can request an extradition from Gath, but at this point, that’s all we can do. To be frank, this isn’t good for us. Mendoza, Clemens, and Bronikov are incredibly dangerous and we have no idea what they’re capable of.”

  * Cut to: Shay, Isaiah, and Joel in the back of the semi, leading the rest of the rebels in song, “And I pray,/ Oh my god, do I pray!/ I pray every single day/ for revolution!/ hey-ey-ey-ey-ey, hey-ey-ey!”



  * In his room, David eats a breakfast of poptarts and watches a news report of a mass prison breakout in Gilboa.



David: “What the fuck.”

There’s a knock at the door, and David answers.

Asher stands on the other side, “David, there’s a situation you need to address.”

David goes out the front entrance of the hotel, where he sees the semi, Shay, Isaiah, Joel, and eighty something rebels who all cheer when they see him. David can only gawk in astonishment and bewilderment.

Asher puts a hand on David’s shoulder and leads him forward: “In case you were wondering what happened to our fellow rebels who were arrested in the raid, this is them!”

David, “Oh, holy fuck.”

Shay, Isaiah, and Joel approach David.

Shay, “It’s a thrill to meet you, Captain Shepherd!”

David: “Please, just call me David, I’m pretty sure I’m not a captain anymore.”

Shay goes on, “I’m Colonel Shay Mendoza.”

Isaiah introduces himself, “Isaiah Clemens.”

Joel, “Joel Bronikov. We broke our fellow rebels out of jail to come join you.”

David, smiling but profoundly uncomfortable, “You came to join me, huh? Well, I definitely shoulda been expecting this.”

Joel: “I’ve had a plan in place in case of mass arrests for a while. When I saw your address last night, I knew it was time to break out.”

Off to the side, a news van pulls up.

David, “Oh, god.”

A cameraman comes up, and rebels crowd around him, mugging and shouting, “Fuck King Silas!”

The door of the hotel opens, and Jack and Michelle come out.

Jack: “What the fuck?!”

The camera turns and points at them.

Shay: “You got the prince and princess to join you, as well?”

David: “It was kind of their decision!”

Jack and Michelle hurry over to David. Jack: “What the fuck is going on here?”

David: “These three just broke a bunch of Samuels’s rebels out of prison.”

Shay sticks out her hand, “Colonel Shay Mendoza, honored to meet you, your highness.”

Jack shakes her hand, “Yeah, let’s not with the whole your highness bullshit. Pretty sure I’ve been disowned.”

Michelle looks at the camera, “I thought we’d make a social media statement saying we’re here, but I guess we’ve been beaten to the punch.”

More TV vans show up.

David: “I should probably talk to Premier Shaw.”

David turns around and tries to leave, but he’s suddenly grabbed into a tight hug.

Jack goes up to him, “Hey, hey, get off!”

David gently pushes the hugger off.

The hugger is Liam from Samuels’s camp, “I told you, man, Silas can’t kill you!” Behind him, Adam stands looking nervously at David.

Jack, “Who the hell is this?”

David, “It’s Liam, right? Glad to see you're still alive.”

Awkwardly, Adam speaks up, “We're glad to see you’re still alive, too!”

David turns to Jack, “I met these guys at Samuels’s camp.”

Liam, “We’re totally ready to fight for you, man!”

David, “Let’s not get presumptuous! I don't want to fight!”

Liam, “You're just gonna let Silas attack you like that?"

Adam, “Are you seriously just gonna let Silas just keep being king?”

David, “I have to talk to Premier Shaw!”

  * Silas is driven out to the country. Helen is waiting on the front porch of the house as Silas’s SUV drives up.



She approaches the SUV as Silas gets out, “What are you doing here? You should be in the hospital!”

Silas, “Not the first time I’ve been shot, and I need to talk to you. How much does Seth know?”

Helen, “I told him you got hurt. I’ve kept him out of school and kept the TV off.”

Silas sighs heavily, “All right. Let’s go inside.”

Helen, “You said you’d be able to keep him secret!”

Silas faces her, and puts his hands on her shoulders, “Helen, you should know that we’ve been lucky to have kept this up nine years.”

Helen: “You said you would protect him!”

Silas: “I am protecting him!”

Helen: “So what are you going to do?”

Silas, “Let’s go inside. I’ll explain everything.”

They go inside.

Seth comes running up, “Dad!”

Silas bends over and sweeps him into a big hug, “Hello, puppy.”

Seth: “Mom said you got hurt.”

Silas, “I’m tough, don’t you worry about me.”

Helen, “Seth, your father and I need to talk alone for a little while. You can talk to him later.”

Silas, “Run along and let your mother and I talk.”

Seth goes out of the room.

Helen serves coffee, “How did you get the black eye?”

Silas sits at the kitchen table, “Would you believe me if I told you that Michelle has one hell of a left hook?”

Helen sits down, “I take it she saw last night’s… address.”

Silas, uncomfortably: “She did.”

Helen: “So what happened?”

Silas: “She broke her brother out of the cell where I’ve been keeping him, and now they’ve both gone to Gath to be with Shepherd.”

Helen: “Are you serious?”

Silas: “I wouldn’t kid about this.”

Helen: “You were keeping Jack in a cell?”

Silas: “He tried to have me killed.”

Helen: “What does this mean for Seth?”

Silas: “You and Seth are going to come with me to Shiloh. Seth is going to be the new heir of the Benjamin monarchy.”

Helen rises to her feet, “No! No, no no! You said that would never happen!”

Silas: “I never thought my own son would try to overthrow me. I would never do this if the monarchy weren’t in crisis. I’m afraid there’s no other choice.”

  * David sits in a conference room with Jack, Michelle, Shay, Joel, Asher, Isaiah, and Abby.



Shaw stands and explains, “Gath is willing to take in political refugees from Gilboa, of course, but we never expected so many to come at once. The People’s Hotel can take some, but not everyone.”

Shay, “Sir, we didn’t come as refugees, we came as an army. When we were recruiting for this rebellion, we told our followers that they needed to be willing to face hardship.”

David: “You can’t just all sleep in the back of that semi, or on the streets. I know that units of Gilboan soldiers have been defecting, where are they being held?”

Shaw: “Camps are being set up at various army bases.”

David: “Can we do that with the rebels?”

Shaw, “I don’t see why not.”

Shay: “That’s good. If we’re at an army base, we can train.”

David: “Train?”

Shay: “We suffered a major loss with the raid and the death of Reverend Samuels, but the goal remains the same: we want to see King Silas overthrown.”

David: “Who’s going to be king in Silas’s place? Jack doesn’t want it.”

Jack nods, “Yeah, I’m done with royalty.”

Shay, slightly bewildered, “Well, you’re the one that Samuels chose.”

David: “Samuels never fucking asked me if I wanted to lead!”

Shay: “Then why’d you make the address?”

David, flustered, “Someone had to.”

Abby speaks up, “Samuels had a rebel army built before the raid. We were all recruited for specific reasons. I have a degree in international relations. I had hopes of being a diplomat for Gilboa, but things happened. Now that I’m here, I’m willing to do whatever I can. I can start making inquiries to other nations, see what their stances are in all this, see if perhaps someone will lend us some aid.”

Isaiah: “I can build any bomb you can dream of. Find someone who can take some of my discretes over the border, we can do some real damage.”

Asher: “A lot of the safe houses and networks that Samuels and I set up are still intact. We can still send messages and relay orders.”

Joel: “If that doesn’t work, I made some useful friends in prison, friends who are very good at moving illegal goods.”

Shay: “Before the raid, I was training a group of girls. We called ourselves the Queens of Gilboa. I had hopes that one day we’d be a team of elite fighters capable of stealth missions.”

Michelle, “Can I join?”

Shay: “You got any training?”

Michelle: “I took all the science classes you need to qualify to go to med school. I can be a medic.”

Shay: “You’re gonna need more training.”

Michelle: “Then find someone who can train me!”

Everyone’s eyes fall on David, who looks around uneasily, “So, you want me to lead all this?”

Shay: “Hey man, you’re the one famous for being a hero.”

David shakes his head, “I need to visit my mom! I need to show her in person that I’m not dead!”

Asher: “You have to make a decision, David.”

David: “And I can think about it when I’m at home! That’s my decision!”

  * Everyone exits the conference room. Someone shouts, “Abby!”



Abby looks up, and sees her husband, Norman, walking up to her. David stops and looks over.

Norman hugs Abby tightly, “I’m so glad I found you!”

Abby, uncomfortable and stiff, “Norman.”

David, “Abby, who is this?”

Norman glares at David, “My name is Captain Norman Becker, and Abby is my wife.” Abby stands meekly at Norman’s side. He snidely comments to her, “I see you like your army men.”

David: “I met Abby in the hospital. She’s incredibly intelligent, that’s how she survived the raid. The rebellion is lucky to have someone like her.”

Abby tries to smile, “Thank you, David.”

Norman: “He’s an officer, you should address him as Captain.”

David corrects him, “Actually, I’ve been telling people not to. I don’t think you’re allowed to keep your army rank once you’ve committed treason. Please, just call me David.”

Norman smiles, “Very well, then, David. If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with my wife in private.” He leads Abby away, and David looks on, somewhat concerned.

  * In Gilboa, Rose sits alone in a room, waiting. She looks on her phone and sees the post made by Jack and Michelle: a photo of them standing alongside David in front of the palace of Gath.



She reads, “We, Princess Michelle and Prince Jack of Gilboa, have joined David Shepherd in defecting to Gath. We can no longer trust our father, King Silas, and feel that this is the only way we can be safe.” Rose frantically wipes away tears.

A door opens, and Thomasina enters, “Ma’am, they’re almost here. It’s time for you to come out.”

Rose puts her phone down and nods, “Yes, just give me a moment to get myself together.”

She composes herself and goes out into the main lobby of the palace. Cameras flash, and she stands at the top of the staircase. The front doors open, and Silas enters, holding Seth’s hand, Helen behind them. Seth carries a bouquet of roses. Cameras go wild, and Silas puts a hand protectively on Seth’s back. Rose looks on, an icy smile on her face, holding back all her emotions. Silas leads Seth up the stairs.

Rose kneels and greets him, “Hello, Seth, I’m your Aunt Rose.”

Seth hands her the bouquet, “These are for you.”

Rose smiles, “Oh, thank you so much!” She stands up, and her gaze meets Helen’s.

Rose, curtly, “Hello, Helen.”

Helen smiles and hugs Rose, “Hello, Rose.”

Rose awkwardly hugs her back.

Silas looks down at Seth, “Do you want to see the palace?”

Seth smiles, “Yeah!”

Silas: “Your Aunt Rose will show you. You go on ahead, I have to make a speech.”

Rose takes Seth’s hand, and leads him away, Helen following.

Silas goes over to a podium, and makes his speech: “Some years ago, during my family’s darkest hours, I had a moment of weakness, and the result was the birth of my son, Seth. Since then, I have done everything I can to protect him and his mother and provide for them. Today, my family faces yet another crisis. I find myself with no choice but to bring Seth into public life and name his as the new heir to the Benjamin monarchy. My marriage to Queen Rose remains strong, and she and I both welcome Prince Seth and his mother, Helen Pardis, to the palace and our family with love and open arms. I do ask the press that Seth’s privacy be respected, as he is still a child, and has never been exposed to this kind of publicity before. Thank you.”

  * David drives up to the farmhouse, where Jessie stands waiting for him. As soon as he gets out of the car, she runs up and squeezes him in a tight hug, “Oh, David, baby, I can’t believe you’re here!”



David hugs her back, “Hey, Mom.”

The front door of the house, and Arthur’s two oldest boys, Hunter and Luke, come rushing out, “Uncle David!” Behind him, Arthur, his wife Margaret, holding daughter Amy and pregnant with another, Ethan, Robert, and James all come out to greet David. Jack gets out and awkwardly stands aside while David is greeted with hugs by everyone.

David steps back and says, “I want all you guys to meet Jack.”

The excitement comes to an immediate halt. The Shepherds all stare at Jack.

David, “I’m kind of in a relationship with him.”

Ethan: “What the fuck, David?”

Jessie, “Don’t use that kind of language!”

Ethan, “What was all that about getting me convicted?!”

Jack, “Actually-”

David cuts him off, “It’s complicated. He was trying to save you. You just have to understand how King Silas thinks- it’s not like most people think.”

Jessie gives Jack a good once-over. She goes up to him and hugs him, “Whatever happened, it’s in the past. We have too much in the present to worry about.” She steps back, “Come on, I’ll show you the house.”

Jack casts a smile at David and follows Jessie inside. Slowly, the bros follow.

James speaks to David in a low voice, “Why’d you have to bring Prince Jackoff?”

David, “I wanted you to meet him!”

Inside, Jack looks up at the embarrassing childhood photos, including one of the Shepherd boys lined up in front of a fence, wearing matching outfits.

Jack, “Oh my god, is that David?”

Jessie smiles and looks at the picture, “Yes. David was always the photogenic one. Ethan could never figure out how to smile for a camera.”

Jack laughs, “Michelle and I never had pictures like this. We were royalty, not kids.” He glances back at David, who gives him a reassuring smile.

  * Thomasina leads Helen through the palace, “We’re having an apartment converted for you, in the meantime, you’ll be sleeping in one of the guest rooms.” She opens the door to a guest room.



Helen stares at it, “Where is Seth staying?”

Thomasina, “Prince Jack’s old room is being set up for him. King Silas wants him to stay close.”

Helen, “He should be close to me- I know what to do if he gets sick in the middle of the night.”

Thomasina, “We have a full-time medical staff prepared to take care of him if he gets sick. Many of them worked for Princess Michelle.”

Helen, “What about school?”

Thomasina, “We’re already searching for the finest private tutors in Shiloh. Seth will receive a much finer education here than he ever would in an ordinary school.”

Helen, “What about friends? Kids his own age?”

Thomasina, “He’ll always be busy in the palace.”

Helen, “Do you have kids?”

Thomasina, “Pardon?”

Helen, “It’s just odd. I’ve known you and spoken to you for years, but I don’t know anything about you. Do you have kids?”

Thomasina, “Two.”

Helen, “Seth’s age?”

Thomasina, “A fifteen-year-old girl and a thirteen-year-old boy.”

Helen smiles a little bit, “Close enough. You should bring your boy over to spend some time with Seth.”

Thomasina, “Only if King Silas approves of it.”

  * At the Shepherd’s dinner, the adults sit at the dining table.



Arthur speaks in a low voice, “Sean was trying to leave the army, but ever since this whole treason mess, he has no idea what he’s supposed to do.”

Jack, “He should stay in the army. It’s an extra layer of protection. Dad wouldn’t go after a soldier with a clean record, but he would go after a civilian.”

Ethan, “He went after David.”

Jack, “David’s David. The MSS is gonna be keeping an eye on Sean, but if he keeps his head down and follows orders, he shouldn’t get in any trouble. It was smart of him not to come here today. If he gets caught communicating with David at all, that could put him in jeopardy.”

Jessie, “Can’t you boys talk about this later?”

David, “We’re going back to Ashdod in the morning.”

Margaret speaks up, “I’ve been considering sending the children to be with my parents in Nob. Hunter just started school and… they’re making him recite the Gath pledge. It’s in French, so they don’t understand it, but I still don’t want them saying it.”

Jack, “You can send them, but there’s no telling when you’d be able to see them after that. All the new border crossing restrictions aren’t gonna be lifted any time soon.”

Arthur, “I’d rather send my kids off than see them become Phils.”

Jessie, “Do you like the meatloaf, Jack?”

Jack, “Every bit as delicious as David promised me.”

James, “Compliment her meatloaf enough, Mom’ll be the one asking you to marry David.”

David blushes furiously.

James, “See, look at that, David’s blushing!”

David, sheepishly, “Shut up, James.”

Arthur, “What are you going to do with this whole rebellion thing?”

David, “What?”

Arthur, “I won’t send the kids to Gilboa if you’re gonna be leading a rebellion.”

David, “I don’t know what I’m doing. I haven’t had any time at all to think about anything.”

Jessie, “How are the green beans and mashed potatoes?”

  * Helen and Seth have dinner with Silas and Rose for the first time.



Silas: “What do you think of the palace?”

Seth: “It’s pretty cool.”

Silas: “You think you’re gonna like it here?”

Seth: “Yeah, I guess so.”

Silas smiles, “You’re gonna like it. You get to see me every day.”

Seth, “Are Jack and Michelle my brother and sister?”

Everyone is taken aback.

Seth goes on, “I mean, they’re your kids, and you’re my dad, so, that means I’m their brother, right?”

Silas: “Yes. They are. But you don’t have to worry about them.”

Seth: “Where are they?”

Helen: “Seth, it’s probably best that you don’t ask these kinds of questions right now.”

Silas: “No, no, he’s a smart kid, he’ll figure things out sooner or later. It’s better that I’m the one who explains it to him, rather than someone else.”

Seth: “Did they leave?”

Silas: “A few months ago, I made a mistake of inviting someone who I thought was a war hero to the palace. His name is David Shepherd, and he did something very brave to save Jack’s life. Ever since then, it has been very clear to me that Shepherd wants to be king, and he is willing to do any act of evil that he must to do that. He somehow tricked Jack and Michelle into following him, and they ran away to be with him. Right now, I hope that I can catch Shepherd and bring Jack and Michelle back so that we can all be a family. But that’s going to be very hard to do. Shepherd has proven quite hard to catch.”

Seth: “Is he gonna try to hurt me?”

Helen: “No, Seth, he doesn’t want to-”

Silas interrupts, “I will never, ever, ever let that happen. If David Shepherd tries to hurt you, I will be the one who ends him. I promise you that.”

  * That night, David and Jack go out and look at the stars, bright in the dark country sky.



David: “When I was alone out in the woods, I kept thinking about you. I’d look up at the stars shining in between the tree branches, and they were so beautiful, all I could think was, I wish Jack were here. I wish I could show him this.”

Jack touches David’s face, “I still can’t believe this is all happening. I’m here, you’re here, you’re alive. I thought I watched you die. But here we are. And I can do whatever the fuck I want, now.”

David: “So what do you want?”

Jack, somewhat sheepishly, “To be with you.”

David looks at Jack, and gently touches his face.

Jack, softly, “Suddenly, I don’t have a pre-determined fate. I have choices. I have options. That’s… that’s crazy.”

David softly kisses Jack, and they stand together for a moment.

David: “We could live here. We could farm. We could come out and look at the stars every night.”

Jack: “Be a farmer?” he laughs, “That’s… I could do that. Yeah, I could do that. I can do anything. Do you want that?”

David smiles, sadly, “It sure would be nice.” He kisses Jack again.

  * Helen and Silas tuck Seth into his new bed for the night and promise him that things will be fine. Helen asks to speak to Silas in private.



Helen: “Look, Silas, I don’t know exactly what happened with Jack and Michelle, but it can’t happen to Seth.”

Silas: “I always loved them. Don’t talk about what you don’t understand.”

Helen: “I was very close to Michelle, you know that. I never saw much of Jack, and I never really got to know him, but what I did see… I liked him. All I ever saw of him was this sweet, well-meaning kid who only wanted to make you and Rose happy. What happened to him?”

Silas: “David Shepherd. He seduced both of my children and took them away from me.”

Helen carefully thinks about what she’s going to say next, “Silas, I don’t mean to be hurtful, but happy children don’t just up and leave their parents. I’ve always stayed away from your other life, but now that Seth and I are in it, I have to look out for Seth.”

Silas: “Keep him away from traitors and liars like Shepherd. That’s all you have to do.”

  * The next morning on the farm, David is woken up by sounds in the kitchen. Jack sleeps beside him on the bed. Quietly, David gets out of bed and goes out and finds Jessie is in the kitchen.



Jessie looks over and sees him standing there, “Good morning, David. I was just getting breakfast ready. Do you want pancakes?”

David smiles, “That sounds great.” He goes over and sits down at the kitchen table, “Can you come sit with me for a moment?”

Jessie, taken aback slightly, “Sure.” She sits down.

David tries to say something, but Jessie cuts him off, “Are you really in love with Prince Jack?”

David smiles and nods, “Yeah.”

Jessie: “He’s not used to getting love. I can tell. He’s lucky to be with you.”

David: “He really means a lot to me.”

Jessie: “Is your relationship why King Silas tried to kill you?”

David, “I have no idea why Silas does anything, Mom. He’s crazy, and he kills people all the time.”

Jessie: “It can’t just be a coincidence.”

David: “It’s probably just one of many reasons that Silas wanted me out of the way.”

Jessie: “Why else would he want you out of the way?”

David fidgets uncomfortably, “Do you remember that time I fixed Reverend Samuels’s car?”

Jessie nods, “I do.”

David: “Samuels was the one trying to build a rebellion. He saved me from the firing squad, and brought me to this camp, and he told me that he wants me to be the leader of his rebellion.”

Jessie starts to cry, “No. No, you can’t.”

David: “That’s what I’ve been saying! I’ve been trying to tell people I don’t want to lead, but somehow, I keep falling into the same position. People listen to me. They want to follow me.”

Jessie sobs, “I always knew you were special, but I prayed it wasn’t that kind of special.”

David: “We’ve been through so much, and felt so much pain, I just want all that pain to be worth something. I keep thinking about Dad and Eli…”

Jessie: “No! Don’t you dare use them as an excuse to go and get yourself killed!”

David: “It’s too late. I’ve miraculously escaped death twice. I don’t think Silas is ever going to just let me live my life.”

Jessie sobs some more, “So if you lead a rebellion, and by some miracle, you don’t get killed, and you succeed, will you be king?”

David: “I- I don’t know. That would be the logical next step.”

Jessie, “How do you know you won’t just turn into Silas? I couldn’t bear it- I know I can live with the pain of losing a son, but I couldn’t bear the shame of having a son who’s a despot.”

David: “Then that’ll keep me from being cruel. I don’t want to disappoint my mom.”

Jessie: “Silas had a mother once, too.”

A light turns on, and Robert and James come into the kitchen, yawning, “Morning!”

David: “Morning.”

Jessie gets up, wiping tears from her eyes, “Do you boys want pancakes?”

Robert: “Fuck yeah we do!”

Jessie: “Don’t use that kind of language in the house!” Jessie begins mixing pancake ingredients.

David goes over to her, “Mom.”

Jessie shakes her head, “I can’t stop you, David. I know you’re a good person, and you only want to do the right thing. It’s your decision.”

David hugs her, and Jessie has to stop and hug him back.

  * Later, David and Jack go to get in the car, but Robert cuts David off, “Oh, no, you’re not going back to Ashdod alone.” He takes the keys from David’s hand, “Me, James, and Ethan are all going with you. We’re gonna be your security team.”



David looks around, confused, “What- what about Mom?”

Robert: “It was her idea!”

Jessie goes up to David and gives him another hug, “I can’t protect you, but your brothers can.”

David: “Mom, are you sure?”

Jessie: “I can look after myself. You go do whatever it is you have to do.”

  * In the car, David and Jack are squeezed into the back seat with James. David’s phone buzzes, and he squirms to take it out of his pocket. The screen flashes a text from Asher: “Whatever your decision is, I have you set to address everyone in front of the palace at 5:00.” David sighs.



Jack: “What is it?”

David: “It’s Asher. He wants me to give a speech.”

Jack: “About what?”

David: “About whether or not I’m gonna lead the rebellion.”

Jack, “Are you?”

David looks longingly over at Jack, “I don’t know.” Jack reaches over and squeezes David’s hand.

  * When they get back to the hotel, David tries to get rooms for his brothers. Michelle comes hurrying up to him, upset, “David!”



David: “What?”

Jack looks in concern at Michelle, “Michelle, what’s wrong?”

Michelle, “It’s Seth!” She raises her phone and shows them both footage of Seth being led into the palace.

Jack shakes his head, “Jesus. That poor kid.”

Michelle, “We have to get him out of there!”

David: “How?”

Michelle: “I don’t know! Ask Shay, she can figure an escape plan out!”

Jack: “Michelle, you know as well as I do, it’s impossible to break into the palace.”

Michelle starts to tear up, “We HAVE to get Seth out of there! We can’t let Silas do to him what he did to us! There has to be something we can do!”

David, quietly, “Michelle, is he sick?”

Michelle nods.

David shakes his head, “Gath doesn’t have the same medical resources that Gilboa does. Even if we could break Seth out of the palace, he’ll die if he gets sick here.”

Michelle sobs, finally letting out all the emotion she’s been holding back since leaving Shiloh, “No! There has to be something! Anything!” David looks at Michelle, sorrow in his eyes.

  * David stands before the gathered rebels, ready to declare whether or not he’s going to be their leader.



“I don’t know what God wants. I’ve had people tell me that God wants me to be King. I don’t know how true that is. Nobody can truly know what God wants. One thing I do know, however, that everyone gathered here is here because they’ve suffered at the hands of Silas Benjamin, and I know that there are more of you, scared, hiding, wanting to help, but feeling completely helpless. I promise you your pain won’t be for nothing. We will take our pain, like fire, and be purified and made stronger. We will fight. We will hurt. We will bleed, and we will gladly hurt and bleed again, if in the end, it brings about justice. We will fight, and will do what is right, and we will restore peace and freedom to Gilboa. I don’t know if God has chosen me to lead. But I choose to lead.”


	5. S2, E5: A Decorated Officer

**“A Decorated Officer”**

In the conference room, David sits with his leaders, “Okay, for starters, if we’re gonna be an army, we need a name.”

Shay: “What about the Rebel Army of Free Gilboa?”

David: “That’s good, but I think we should keep it simple. The Army of Free Gilboa. The AFG. That works.”

Jack: “Can we be the Free Army of Gilboa?”

David, “What? No, that doesn’t make sense.”

Jack: “PLEASE?!”

David, “No, we can’t be the FA-” he realizes what the initials spell, “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Jack, this is serious!”

Jack cackles.

Shay: “So what are we gonna attack, first? I have a list of potential targets.”

Abby: “We should consider going to other nations for aid, before we do anything.”

David: “No, we’ve gotta do first things first. Now that we have a name, we need a flag. Does anyone have any ideas?”

Everyone looks around uncomfortably. 

David sighs, “Yeah, I should probably ask Monique about that. She’d do a good job.”

Asher: “She’s in Shiloh under close surveillance.”

David: “We can bring her here.”

Joel: “Not anymore. Silas closed the borders.”

Shay: “We can open the border again, but that would involve attacking a checkpoint and holding it open.”

David: “Can we do that?”

Shay, shrugging, “Yeah, but I want to make sure that when we do it, we do it right. I’m gonna need some time to train the Queens. When we’re ready, I can lead an attack.”

David: “Okay. I’ll get you out to the army base this afternoon. Start planning how you’re gonna train your girls.”

Suddenly, the door bangs open, and Norman storms in, “What’s this?”

David: “It’s… a meeting?”

Norman: “What kind of meeting?”

David: “An army meeting?”

Norman: “I’ve got a plan to take down Silas.”

Jack: “Do you, now? You gonna just pop into the palace, put a bullet in his head?”

Norman points at David, “Why is he in charge? Just because he made a speech?”

David: “I… kind of got chosen.”

Joel: “Authority arises from the consent of the governed and I say David’s our leader.”

Shay: “Me, too.”

Asher: “Me, too.”

The others chime in with agreement.

Norman sneers: “I should at least be sitting in this meeting. What’s it take to get into this group, anyway? The three prison breakers, I get, but why does my wife get to be here but I don’t?”

David: “Abby’s the only one here who understands international politics and knows how to write a treaty. As for you, to be perfectly honest, I don’t see in you any unique skills or knowledge that you can advise me with.”

Norman: “I’m a decorated officer in the Gilboan Army!”

David: “So am I. So is Shay, and so is Jack.”

Norman: “Please, we all know that the prince is only here because he’s sucking your dick!”

David stares at Norman for a moment, and then says, with deadly calm, “Get the fuck out of here.”

Norman: “I’m not going anywhere!”

David gets up, “Get the fuck out!” He pushes Norman out of the room and locks the door.

Abby sits stiffly, and in a rushed apologetic voice, says, “I’m sorry! I am so sorry about Norman!”

David sits back down, “It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

Abby: “Can I talk to you privately?”

David nods, “Yeah, of course.” He looks back at everyone else, “Is there anything else we need to discuss?”

Everyone shakes their head and says no.

David: “Okay. Well, I guess that’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna train and become a real army. And we’re gonna make plans. Does that make sense?”

Everyone nods and agrees.

David: “Okay, um, will you guys let me talk to Abby alone, then?”

Everyone leaves.

With the room empty, David turns to Abby and says, softly, “Okay, so what’s the deal with Norman?”

Abby wipes at her eyes, “My dad’s a lieutenant general in the army, Norman was one of his soldiers. I- I was going to have a career in diplomacy, but my dad made me marry Norman because his career was more important than mine. Then one night, he got drunk on base, got in a big fight, and was dishonorably discharged. I thought I could get away by joining the rebellion, but he followed me here.”

David listens in, horrified, “Abby, I swear, I’m gonna do everything I can in my power to keep him away from you.”

Abby looks up at David, unsure if she can trust him, “Thank you, David.”

  * Later, in their hotel room, David talks to Jack, “Listen, I’ve been thinking about the issue of our relationship, and how I want to address it.”



Jack: “Yeah?”

David: “You know my greatest concern is keeping you safe, right?”

Jack: “Yeah…”

David: “I think because of that, it might be best if we don’t… advertise our relationship.”

Jack: “What? What the fuck does that mean?”

David: “It means I don’t want to do anything that could make you more of a target than you already are. If people know that I’m in love with you, they can use that to hurt me.”

Jack: “I fucking escaped Gilboa so I could be honest and open about who I am, and now you’re telling me I have to keep it a secret.”

David: “No! That’s not it at all! All the people who matter will know about us, and you can tell the whole world you’re gay, but-”

Jack: “But what?”

David tries to think, “If someone were to hurt you to hurt me, I wouldn’t be capable of sound leadership. I’d do something stupid, something that would put a lot of people in danger, if it meant saving you. I wouldn’t be able to think rationally. If something were to happen to you, it would jeopardize this whole rebellion.”

Jack shakes his head, “Is there going to be a time when we can tell people about it?”

David: “Whenever it is that I think you won’t be in danger.”

Jack, muttering, “Fine, you’re King David, anyway.”

David, hurt: “Don’t call me that!”

Jack: “I’m sorry. I say a lot of stupid shit when I’m angry.”

David, “Don’t be angry, it’s not a big deal.”

Jack shoots David a filthy look, “You’ve never had to hide who you are.”

David, “Jack!”

Jack pushes past him, “I told Michelle I’d let her practice wrapping bandages on me. I’m gonna go.” He leaves.

  * Andrew approaches the front desk of the palace, carrying a large, fancy teddy bear.



The receptionist looks at him nervously, “May I help you?”

Andrew, “I’d like to speak to my Uncle Silas.”

Receptionist, “You can request a seat during open council.”

Andrew, “I’d like to speak to him directly,” he lifts the teddy bear, “I brought a present for my cousin, Seth.”

Receptionist, “King Silas’s meetings are usually scheduled months in advance.”

Andrew, “I know, but I’m family.”

Receptionist, uneasily, “I’ve been told not to let you into the palace. Sorry.”

Andrew sighs impatiently, “Very well.” He goes over and finds a place to sit down.

Receptionist, “Uh, sir?”

Andrew, “I will wait.”

  * Silas video conferences with Shaw in his office, Reinhardt and Abner on either side of him.



Silas: “I’m going to make this quick, Gerald, you’re going to arrest Shepherd and anyone following him, and return them to Gilboan custody.”

Shaw: “Does this include your children?”

Silas: “They will be brought back to me.”

Shaw: “I’ll do it if you turn over the skull.”

Silas: “How can I hand over what I don’t have?”

Reinhardt looks over his shoulder at the skull perched on Silas’s shelf.

Shaw: “If you want Shepherd, you’re going to have to give me something in return, and something good!”

Silas: “He’s no use to you!”

Shaw: “It would require an enormous effort to arrest him and all of his followers. My resources are limited as is.”

Silas: “I want my children back!”

Shaw: “You have a new heir, what do you need the old one for? He doesn’t want to be king.”

Silas: “I want them back, even if I have to invade Ashdod to get them!”

Shaw, “Are you threatening another war, Silas?”

Silas, “I don’t make threats. I only do what is necessary.”

Shaw, smugly, “I have been keeping an eye on your children. Their rooms are being monitored, along with Shepherd’s. So far, I’ve made some interesting discoveries. Would you care to hear?”

Silas begins, “I don’t need to hear-” but he’s cut off by audio of Jack moaning and crying out in pleasure, “David!”

Shaw, smirking evilly, “There’s video, too.”

Silas raises to his feet, “You sick son of a bitch! Of course you’d love to listen to that sort of thing!”

Reinhardt and Abner determinedly don’t look at him.

Shaw, “I have noticed that when he and Shepherd make love, Jack clearly favors the _passive_ role.”

Silas shoves the papers from his desk in a rage, “You are PERVERSE!”

Shaw, “Unless you want all of Gilboa to know about your son’s preferences, you will keep your army where it is and respect the treaty.”

The feed shuts off. Silas rises to his feet, knocking his chair over, and smashes a lamp.

  * In an empty conference room, Michelle practices bandaging up various parts of Jack’s body.



Jack: “I mean, I’m allowed to be pissed off about it, right? I spend my whole life trying to be someone else, and when I finally manage to escape, it’s oh, sorry, we have to be careful.”

Michelle: “You know David’s just looking out for you, right?”

Jack: “I knoooow. It still sucks, okay? It’s just… yet another way that nothing I do is ever good enough for anyone.”

Michelle rolls her eyes, “If you’re going to wallow in self-pity, I’m going to tape your mouth shut.”

Jack: “Oh, come on. It all started when I was a day old. Dad looked down at me, and said, ‘Your sister just survived open-heart surgery. The fuck have you done?’”

Michelle: “He did not say that.”

Jack: “I guarantee you he was thinking it. That’s just how everything worked: you were the miracle, and I was the chump who was born healthy.”

Michelle wraps a length of gauze around Jack’s neck, “You want to stay healthy? Because I can change that real quick. My childhood was fucking miserable, too, and you know it.”

Jack: “All right! All right! I’m sorry! I misspoke.”

Michelle releases the gauze, and goes back to practice, “David is the first real friend my own age I’ve ever had. You actually went to school and made friends while all I had was tutors.”

Jack scoffs, “You actually think I had friends at Hollingsworth? Boys go to Hollingsworth so they can learn to be soldiers, not friends. The closest thing I had to a friend was Reggie.”

Michelle: “I was wondering when we’d get to him.”

Jack: “What?”

Michelle: “It’s so fucking cliché: You were fifteen and he was in his mid-forties. You were a lonely, insecure boy trying to figure out your sexuality in an unforgiving environment. You were pedophile catnip.”

Jack makes a face: “You make it sound a lot grosser than it was.”

Michelle: “Reggie was pretty fucking gross, Jack.”

Jack: “Everything we did was consensual.”

Michelle: “Yeah right up until he got bored with you and found some other teenage boy to bone. You were a fucking mess after that. Scratch that, you never stopped being a mess after that.”

Jack sighs, “I can’t even get my own fucking sister to respect me.”

Michelle: “Hey, you want respect? Quit whining and go fucking earn some respect.”

  * Andrew sits, several guards looking at him a few feet away.



Thomasina approaches him, “King Silas has no interest in speaking to you, Andrew.”

Andrew, “I can’t even deliver my gift?”

Thomasina, “No. Get out of here.”

Andrew, “I’m quite content where I am. Others may be afraid of you, but I’m not. Tell Uncle Silas I want to speak to him.”

  * Reinhardt sits in Silas’s office. Silas looks at him apprehensively, “You watched all of it?”



Reinhardt, “I can honestly say I’ve seen worse. This is actually pretty tame, considering the abundance of weird shit they could be doing. If anything, they seem to be quite in love.”

Silas, “It’s not love! Shepherd is a power-hungry bisexual incubus bent on taking my throne!”

Reinhardt, “That’s not the impression that the video gives. For as much as Jack is clearly taken with David, David is rather taken with Jack, as well. The sex is actually a very small part of the recording. They spend most of the time just talking.”

Silas, “About what?”

Reinhardt, “Well, you, obviously. It might actually do you some good to listen to some of it.”

Silas, “I am not listening to that.”

Reinhardt, “It’s your choice, sir.”

Silas grimaces, “Whatever happens, Rose doesn’t learn of this.”

Reinhardt, “Of course.”

Silas, “If Gerald isn’t going to turn over Shepherd, we need to dispose of him ourselves. What are our operatives in Ashdod doing?”

Reinhardt, “Honestly, it’s going to be difficult to get to David. He’s smart, he knows how to fight, and he seems to be well-protected. But I do have one operative who may be able to do something.”

There’s a knock at the door.

Silas, “Yes?”

Thomasina’s voice, “Sir, Andrew Cross is here, and he’s refusing to leave.”

Fury creeps across Silas’s face.

Reinhardt, “Should I leave now, sir?”

Silas, “Take care of Shepherd.”

Reinhardt, "I will, sir." He leaves, and Thomasina enters.

Thomasina, “What should I do about Andrew?”

Silas, “Let him sit there.”

Thomasina, “He has a teddy bear. Says it’s for Seth.”

Silas, “Seth has enough toys.”

Thomasina, “Should I have security throw him out?”

Silas, “When the palace closes. He can sit there until then.”

  * David has lunch with his brothers at a nearby diner.



Ethan: “What’s bothering you, David?”

David: “I- I had a fight with Jack.”

All three brothers, “ _Oh_.”

David: “You guys are gonna have to get used to him being my boyfriend, okay?”

Ethan: “Look, we all supported you when you told us you’re… whatever that Japanese word is.”

David: “Ryototsukai.”

Ethan: “Yeah, that.”

Robert: “It’s a lot easier if you just say you’re bi, David.”

David: “I don’t like labels!”

Ethan: “Bi, gay, ryoto-whatever, it doesn’t matter, but the fact that you’re dating Jack, of all the people in the world, is kind of a problem.”

A waitress comes up, “Are you ready to order?”

David: “Yeah, I’ll have a cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate shake.”

The waitress looks at him and gasps, “Oh my god, you’re David Shepherd!”

David nods awkwardly, “Yeah, I am.”

The waitress laughs, “This is my first day here, and of all the people in the world I could serve, I get David Shepherd!”

David: “Congratulations. Can you take my brother’s orders?”

Waitress, “Oh, yeah, I’m sorry!” The brothers all order burgers. Waitress, “Okay, I’ll have everything in just a minute!” She leaves.

David sighs, “I am not going to get used to this.”

Ethan: “As I was saying, David, I don’t care if you want to date men, women, or space aliens, but Jack did kind of try to kill me.”

David: “Okay, first of all, you’ve got to understand Silas. He’s fucking nuts.”

Ethan: “We’ve established that.”

David: “He’s fucking nuts, and he’s a really awful father who constantly treated Jack like shit. Nothing Jack ever did was good enough for him. Maybe Jack should be the one who explains it to you.”

Ethan: “You can explain it.”

David: “Okay, well, Michelle, meanwhile, she was Silas’s little girl. He’d do whatever she asked of him, especially if he had it in his head that it could somehow make Jack work harder, do better.”

Ethan: “So Michelle asked Silas to pardon me?”

David: “And Silas did it because Jack worked so hard to convict you! Jack knew that the more effort he put into it, the more likely Silas would be to pardon you.”

Ethan makes a face, “David, that makes no fucking sense.”

David: “That’s Silas! He’s an asshole who doesn’t think right! Jack’s been on my side ever since I saved his life.”

Ethan: “Even when he was trying to get you convicted?”

David: “Silas knew Jack was in love with me at that point. He set it out as some sort of fucked-up loyalty test for Jack, and look who Jack chose. He- he loves me! And I love him! Which is why it sucks that I had a fight with him, and I don’t know what I should do about it!”

James: “You tried apologizing?”

David: “It’s not an apology type situation. We’ve had a pretty big disagreement about how public we’re gonna be with our relationship, and I don’t know how to resolve it.”

James: “Shit, man. You’re fucked.”

David, grimly, “Thanks.”

Ethan: “If you two are as in love as you say you are, you’ll figure something out.”

The waitress arrives with their food. She passes out four burgers, “And a chocolate shake for the hero.”

David: “Thanks.”

The waitress goes off.

David: “Can I like, wear a sign that tells people not to do that shit?”

Ethan, sarcastic: “Yeah, it’s so hard to be the big famous hero that everyone loves.”

David: “Hey, when Silas starts dropping bombs on your ass, you earn a right to complain about shit.”

Ethan: “Whatever. Eat your food.”

  * Back at HQ, David finds Jack, still getting bandaged by Michelle, “Can we talk?”



Michelle: “I’m almost done.”

David: “I kind of want to talk now.”

Jack: “David, I don’t want to fight.”

David: “Then it’s better that we figure this out as quickly as we can!”

  * Up in their room, Jack sits on the bed while David paces.



David: “Look, I’m sorry I made you upset.”

Jack cuts him off, “I’m not upset.”

David: “I just, you understand I’m only trying to protect you, right?”

Jack sighs, “Yeah, I know. And… I think you’re probably right, I- I don’t want to do anything that’s gonna make this whole leadership thing harder for you than it already is. But I thought when I broke out, I’d be able to live completely openly. I just have to get used to the idea that I’m still going to have to keep some things hidden.”

David stops his pacing and leans on a dresser. He puts his hand on his stomach and grimaces.

Jack: “David?”

David: “Thank you, Jack, I-” he belches, “Ugh, I think I have food poisoning.”

Jack: “From that nasty-looking diner on the corner? Why am I not surprised?”

David makes a noise and barfs all over the floor.

Jack gets up, “Woah, are you all right?”

David tries to walk towards the bathroom, but he stumbles, and then falls.

Jack rushes over, “David! What did you eat?”

David: “A burger!”

Jack goes over to David tries to help him back to his feet. David vomits again, and falls.

Jack kneels next to David and touches his face, “David, can you feel this?”

David: “Feel what?”

Jack: “SHIT!”

He jumps up and rushes out of the room, yelling for Robert, James, and Ethan. He pounds on their door, and Ethan opens, “What?”

Jack, “Call an ambulance, David’s been poisoned!” He turns and goes back into his room, the brothers following, asking, “What?”

David tries to make it to the bathroom again, but collapses.

Jack rushes over, “David, hey, don’t panic, but I think you were poisoned.”

David gasps.

Jack, “David?”

David: “I can’t breathe!”

Jack looks up at the brothers, “What are you doing? Call a fucking ambulance!”

Ethan goes over to the phone and dials a number, “Uh, someone’s been poisoned at the People’s Hotel,” he looks at Jack, “Do you know what kind of poison it is?”

Jack: “Aconite.”

Ethan: “What?”

Jack: “Aconite! Tell them it’s aconite!”

Ethan, “It’s- it’s aconite.”

James: “How do you know?”

Jack: “My dad loves that shit!” he looks at David, “You’re gonna be okay, David, we just gotta get you to the hospital, okay?”

David nods, still gasping.

Jack: “Just keep breathing as best you can. Just keep breathing.”

  * David gets wheeled through the hotel lobby on a gurney, an oxygen mask over his face. Michelle and Abby approach Jack.



Michelle: “What happened?”

Jack: “He’s been poisoned!”

The EMTs load David into the back of an ambulance.

Jack, to the brothers, “You guys go with, make sure no one comes along to finish David off!”

James looks at Jack, “What?!”

Jack: “You’re his security!”

James: “Are you coming with us?”

Jack, “We’ve gotta go back to the diner and ask to see their security footage. One of you should come with me so you can identify the waitress.”

Ethan, “I’ll go.” The back door of the ambulance slams shut, and the sirens start.

  * In a cluttered back office of the diner, Jack and Ethan watch grainy security footage with the diner’s manager.



Ethan points at the screen, “There we are, and there’s the waitress who served us.”

Jack, “Can we see where the food was prepared?”

The manager switches camera views, to where food is lined up in a window, ready to be served. The waitress approaches the window, looks around carefully, and then clearly puts something in David’s milkshake.

Jack: “Who is she?”

Manager: “She said her name was Marie. Today was her first day.”

Jack: “Where is she?”

Manager: “She had to leave. Said she had an emergency”

Jack rubs his forehead, “Goddamnit, she’s gotta be halfway to Shiloh by now!”

Ethan: “What?”

Jack: “That shit she put in David’s shake was my dad’s favorite poison, and I guarantee you my dad sent her here to kill David!”

Ethan: “Are you serious?”

Jack: “I gotta call the police and have them put a bulletin out,” to the manager, “Can you and your employees give a description?”

  * Back at the hotel, Jack enters, followed by Ethan.



Ethan: “Can we go to the hospital now?”

Jack: “Yes, just lemme put on something that’s not covered in puke.”

On his way to the room, he sees Norman pounding on Abby’s door, and stops.

Jack: “Hey, David told you to get the fuck out of here this morning!”

Norman: “He never said I had to leave the hotel. This is none of your fucking business!” He pounds on the door and yells, “I know you’re in there, Abby!”

Jack pulls him away.

Norman, “Do you want to fucking take this outside?”

Very calmly, Jack looks him in the eye and smiles, “I just watched my boyfriend get poisoned. I know my dad is behind it, it’s not the first time he’s tried to kill him, and David’s not the first boyfriend he’s tried to kill. Are you sure you want to fuck with me right now?”

Hotel security comes up, “We have a complaint about someone who’s not supposed to be here.”

Jack: “Yep, this is him. Throw him out.”

Security guards lead Norman away.

Norman, “I’ll be back to finish this!”

Jack: “Yeah, have fun with that.”

When Norman is out of the hall, Jack knocks on the door, “Abby? Abby, are you okay?”

Abby sticks he head out of the doorway, “Is he gone?”

Jack: “Yeah.”

Abby nods, still looking afraid, “I’ll be fine. How is David?”

Jack: “I was just going to go to the hospital and see.”

Abby: “Lucky thing you were there.”

Jack: “Yeah, it is.”

  * At the hospital, Michelle talks to the doctor, and Jack enters.



Michelle: “Jack!”

Jack goes over to the doctor, “Are you treating David Shepherd?”

Doctor: “Yes.”

Jack: “I- I’m his boyfriend. How is he?”

Doctor: “He has cardiac arrhythmia.”

Michelle, “Irregular heartbeat!”

Doctor: “Very good. His heart was beating too fast to pump blood to his body, so we’ve had to defibrillate him to return it to a regular rhythm.”

Jack: “You mean like, shocking him with the paddles?”

Michelle, “They don’t use paddles anymore, just electrodes!”

Doctor: “Yes, she’s correct.”

Michelle beams, “I’m training to be a medic!”

Doctor: “You’re going to be a good one, then, if you recognized the poison as aconite right away.”

Jack: “That was me. I recognized the symptoms.”

Doctor, “You knew exactly what to do, then. David still needs to be stabilized, but as long as we keep treating him with medicine and defibrillation as needed, he should stabilize,” he looks at Jack, “You saved his life today.”

Jack smiles, pained, “Thank you, doctor.” The doctor turns and leaves.

Michelle hugs Jack, “You did good, Jack. You did so good.”

  * Silas sits alone in his office, listening to a recording of Jack’s voice, “I’m not really sure at what point Dad started seeing me differently. The early years of my childhood, they were happy, but then… I don’t know, something shifted. Michelle got sick. Dad decided I needed toughening up. I got sent off to boarding school, and I didn’t understand why my parents all of a sudden didn’t want me around. The only conclusion I kept coming to was that they didn’t love me anymore.”



Silas shuts the recording off. His breath shakes and his face falters. For a moment, it seems like he might cry, but he pulls himself together. He presses the buzzer button on his desk speaker and yells, “Thomasina?”

Thomasina, “Yes, sir?”

Silas, “Have Andrew brought up here.”

  * Andrew, smirking, gets led towards Silas’s office by a couple of tough-looking guards. One opens the office door, and Andrew gives them a curt “Thank you,” before entering.



As soon as the doors shut, Silas sets in, “You listen to me, you ugly little shit, Seth is not your cousin! He is my son! I won’t let you near him, do you understand?”

Andrew, “Of course, Uncle Silas.”

Silas, “Stop calling me that! From now on, you will address me as Your Majesty, the way a king is supposed to be addressed!”

Andrew, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Silas, “Marriage may have legally made us family, but we never were. William never, _ever_ considered me a part of his family, and if I hadn’t have become king, he and his father would _happily_ pretend I didn’t exist!”

Andrew, “Would you like to know what my father is doing?”

Silas, taken aback, “What?”

Andrew, “I’m willing to offer you information about my father’s whereabouts and plans if the MSS stops monitoring me.”

Silas, “I know where he is, and that he can’t do anything there!”

Andrew, “He’s in touch with Gerald Shaw and Shaw tells him what David Shepherd is doing.”

Silas, “I know what Shepherd is doing!”

Andrew, “Do you?”

Silas, “Go home! You aren’t welcome here!”

Andrew, “I assure you, Your Majesty, I have very many ways that I can make myself welcome.”

Silas, “You want something.”

Andrew, “I do. But I only want what I’ve been promised. I want to be left alone, and I want control of Gilboan operations of CrossGen. Nothing more.”

Silas, “You want my crown.”

Andrew, “My father is obsessed with that, not me.”

Silas, “I don’t believe you.”

Andrew, “Believe me or not, I can still be very useful to you. It would do you well to consider my offer.”

Silas, “Go home.”

Andrew, “Does this mean you’ll consider it?”

Silas, “It means I’m the king, and I will do what is best for my country and my family, which does not include you.”

Andrew, “Very well, then. I’ll be off. Good night, Your Majesty.” He nods curtly and leaves.

Silas stares at the empty space left. Slightly bewildered and overwhelmed, he sits down in his chair.

  * That night, when David is stabilized enough for visitors, Michelle, Jack, and the brothers sit into his room.



David wears an oxygen mask, and James holds up a phone to take a picture, “Okay, thumbs up.” David gives a thumbs up, and the camera flashes.

James grins, “Great, lemme just get this posted…” He posts the picture to social media with the caption, “I’m still here, bitch!”

Ethan: “Silas is gonna be pissed!”

Michelle: “Even more so when he realizes Jack was the one who saved David.”

David, “Jack, come here.” He gestures to the space beside him in the bed.

Jack blushes, “There’s not enough room.”

David scoots over, “There’s plenty of room, come on.”

Jack climbs into the bed and lays down next to David.

David: “You saved my life. I think we’re even now.”

Jack: “You’ve saved my life twice, remember the mission in Gath?”

David: “Yeah, but you definitely saved my life when I was in the woods, even if you weren’t there. So we’re even.”

Jack. “Okay, we’re even.” Jack looks David in the eye and smiles. David takes off his oxygen mask, and kisses Jack.


	6. S2, E6: Queens

**“Queens”**

The Queens of Gilboa take over a major border checkpoint between Gilboa and Gath. ([“Queen” Jax Anderson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN0cp6xvGaI)) They overtake the group of soldiers using a precision sneak attack that takes down the check point part by part, rather than with overwhelming force. One soldier tries to fight back but is shot in the leg.

Michelle, now acting as medic, expertly ties off and bandages the wound, “Shut up, you’re gonna live.”

The Queens pose for a photograph, faces covered, fists raised, holding the captured flag, and declare the border open.

  * In Shiloh, Silas, Abner, and a group of officers sit in the council chamber.



Abner projects the image of the Queens holding the flag and explains, “They’re calling themselves the Queens of Gilboa. They took over the checkpoint quickly and without an alarm being raised, which means they’re skilled. Their leader appears to be Shay Mendoza, which means they’re connected to David Shepherd and his rebels. If Shepherd is building an army, we need to cut them off at the head. Bomb them into oblivion.”

Silas: “They have Gilboan soldiers as hostages, we can’t just bomb them.”

Abner: “We’ll send a rescue team, then.”

Silas: “Send a negotiator.”

Abner, angry but trying to hide it, “What? They- they opened the border for a reason, they’re getting people and supplies over to their side! The longer the border remains over, the more they get!”

Silas stares hard at the photograph, and sighs calmly, “Send a negotiator. You can all leave. Linus, I want to talk to you."

Once alone, Silas: “Michelle is one of those girls.”

Abner: “How can you tell?”

Silas, wistfully: “Even with her face covered, she looks just like her mother at that age. Also, the scar is a giveaway.”

Abner looks over at the photograph, and he finds Michelle, the scar on her chest plainly visible.

Abner, “Why is she in combat?”

Silas: “She doesn’t have a combat position. She’s always wanted to be a doctor. She’s their medic.”

Abner: “How do you know?”

Silas: “She’s my daughter. I know my daughter.”

Abner: “Silas, we simply cannot make exceptions for Michelle. The only conceivable action here is a strong military response!”

Silas: “I’m not going to make any orders that could put Michelle in danger.”

Abner: “They’ll use her as a human shield!”

Silas: “Send a negotiator.”

Abner: “We’re setting a precedent for how we deal with Shepherd here!”

Silas: “Send a negotiator.”

Abner: “This isn’t rational!”

Silas, deadly serious, “Send a negotiator.”

  * A harried-looking Helen approaches Thomasina, “Have you seen Seth?”



Thomasina, “No, I haven’t.”

Helen, “He’s supposed to be getting a math lesson right now, but I can’t find him. I’ve looked all over the residence, I have no idea where he could be!”

Thomasina smiles knowingly, “I have a few ideas.”

  * Seth sits hiding underneath a piano in the music room, reading a comic book. The door opens, and Thomasina enters.



She looks underneath the piano, and sees Seth, “I knew you’d be there. You have a math lesson.”

Seth, “Can’t you just say you can’t find me?”

Thomasina, “That would be lying.”

Seth, “Well, I’m gonna be king, so you have to follow my orders.”

Thomasina, “I follow your father’s orders, and he told me to find you and bring you to your lesson. Come on.”

Seth puts the comic down and gets out from under the piano.

Thomasina begins to lead Seth away, “You can’t hide from me. I’ve been at this palace ever since it was built, and I’ve spent a good chunk of my time here chasing after your brother and sister. I know all of their old hiding spots, so don’t think you can go around being sneaky.”

Seth looks around at the military officers talking in the hallway, “What’s going on today?”

Thomasina, “What?”

Seth, “I haven’t seen Dad and there’s a bunch of army guys around.”

Thomasina, “I don’t know.”

Seth, “Don’t lie!”

Thomasina, “I think David Shepherd may be up to something, but either way, I couldn’t tell you. Ask your father.”

  * At the checkpoint, a convoy of cars drive past with the occupants hanging out of their windows, cheering and honking. Queens line the road, and cheer as each car passes.



One Queen snapchats, “Queens of Gilboa, takin’ over your checkpoints, fuckin’ up your life. Soon we’ll be overthrowing your king.” She turns the camera to the group of soldiers tied up and guarded, sitting beside the checkpoint building.

One soldier yells, “See what happens when King Silas sends his army!”

Queen: “Aren’t you guys Silas’s army? Because seriously we just kicked your ass.”

Other Queens chime in, “Yeah, we did.”

Soldier: “Fuck you, bitch!”

Another Queen: “Eat my bloody tampon you piece of shit!” She reaches into her pants, pulls out a bloody tampon, and hurls it at the soldiers, who scream.

Queen: “What’s the matter, you brave soldiers afraid of a little blood?!”

A way off, Michelle is distracted from the biography of Joan of Arc that she’s reading. She rolls her eyes at the shenanigans and stands up. She enters the guard house, where Shay sits listening to the army radio.

Michelle: “Are they coming?”

Shay: “They know we’re here. Sounds like they’re trying to figure out what to do.”

Michelle: “Is it weird that we haven’t gotten a response yet?”

Shay: “I think Silas knows you’re here, and he’s refusing to give the attack order.”

Michelle sighs, “I was afraid of that.”

Shay: “Are you kidding? You give us an advantage that most armies can’t even dream of!”

Michelle, sarcastic, “Woohoo, exploiting my father’s refusal to let me grow up.”

Shay: “Ooookay, daddy issues are not my thing. Combat, that’s my thing. Daddy issues, I’m clueless.”

Michelle: “I told him that I hate him, and I’ll never forgive him, and I went and joined an army that’s trying to overthrow him, and still, he won’t take me seriously!”

Shay: “You’ve never had a bomb dropped on you, have you?”

Michelle, “…No.”

Shay: “I’m gonna try to keep it that way. So far, no response is good for us.”

  * Seth sits, doing a worksheet full of fractions while his tutor, Mrs. Mishra, watches, “You’re doing wonderful, Seth.”



Seth gives her a weary glance and keeps working.

Mrs. Mishra, “You keep working. I need to take a break for a moment.”

Seth keeps working as she leaves. As soon as the door closes, he looks over, gears turning in his head. He gets up and darts out of another door.

  * Monique sashays into The People’s Hotel lobby and looks around disapprovingly.



David comes up and greets her, “Monique!”

Monique: “What the hell kind of dump is this place?”

David: “Welcome to Gath! Nothing is nice here!”

Monique, “I’m going back to Shiloh after this. No way I’m staying here.”

Behind David, Asher comes over and says, “Hi, Monique.”

Monique, “Glad to see you again, Rabbi.” She greets him with a hug.

David, “You two know each other?”

Monique, “Through Samuels. We go back. I was planning on introducing the two of you, and then you got arrested.”

Asher, softly, “Glad to see you're not dead."

Monique, “Same goes to you."

Asher: “We’ve got some stuff we want you to take back. I don’t know how long the border’s gonna stay open, hopefully, we can get you back in Gilboa before it closes.”

Monique: “Let’s go, then!”

  * In the conference room, David stands with Jack, Asher, Joel, Isaiah, and Abby.



Monique reaches into a bag and pulls something out, “I give you the flag of the Army of Free Gilboa.”

She spreads it over the table: three gold six-pointed stars, arranged in a line against a rich navy blue background. David gasps.

Jack: “Oooh, that’s nice.”

Monique: “The three stars symbolize Orion’s belt. I kept thinking about that night we spent trying to look at the stars, and the stories you told me about your dad telling you stories about the constellations. I thought, that’s where it all starts. That point of light, that memory of childhood. You look up at the stars and remember you’re still alive.”

David is moved to tears, “It’s beautiful, Monique. I- I couldn’t have imagined something more beautiful. It’s perfect.”

Monique pulls a portfolio out of her bag, “I designed some insignias and uniforms. I dunno if you’ll be wearing them any time soon, but I figured they’d come in handy once you’re king.”

David takes the portfolio and flips through it: crisp, cleanly-designed uniforms in dark navy blue (inspiration: [Mainbocher WAVES uniform](https://live.staticflickr.com/2656/4014342415_d2d05ecd3c.jpg)).

Monique: “I spent a lot of time looking at the uniforms of other countries. It’s hard to make military uniforms unique, but I kept noticing how many of them had these big, fancy epaulets, and giant insignia and decorations. I thought taking a more minimalistic approach would be a good way to make us stand out. It also makes a statement about who we are: we’re not here for your pageantry, we’re here for our freedom.”

David: “Monique, I don’t have any words for how incredible this is.”

David flips through the other pages, he sees crests and insignias, all with the same star motif and clean lines.

Jack: “Shit. This almost makes me want to re-think this whole being king business.”

Monique: “No. I did not make these for you. These are for David.”

David flips to the last page, a portrait of him wearing an AFG uniform, wearing the crown of Gilboa.

Monique: “It may be wishful thinking, but I thought I couldn’t complete the portfolio without it. Gotta remember what the end goal here is.”

David: “I- I never really said that I’m gonna be king.”

Monique: “What the fuck else are you gonna do? Lead a rebellion, overthrow Silas, and then just retire? Half the people in Shiloh are already calling you King David.”

David: “Being king is a pretty abstract concept. Actually seeing myself with the crown… it’s a lot to take in.”

Monique: “Don’t tell me you never thought about it before.”

David: “In case you haven’t noticed, I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing, or what the fuck I’m even supposed to be doing.”

Monique: “Well, now you have a flag and something to look at. Better start thinking about what you’re gonna do next.”

  * Silas approaches Rose, talking to someone in a hallway, “Rose, can I speak to you privately?”



Rose: “The dining room is being re-designed to suit our changed circumstances. A number of rooms in the palace need to be re-configured in consideration of the new heir.”

Silas: “This is more important.”

  * In a quiet, closed-off room, Silas sits Rose down on a sofa.



Rose: “What is it? Did something happen?”

Silas: “This group calling themselves the Queens of Gilboa have taken over a border checkpoint. They’re working for Shepherd,” he takes a deep breath, “Michelle is one of them.”

Rose: “She’s a soldier, now?”

Silas: “Knowing Michelle, I think she’s their medic. But she’s with them, and I can’t send the army to attack them without attacking her, as well.”

Rose swallows hard, and looks around, struggling to stay calm, “Well, obviously, you can’t do that.”

Silas, “I know. I’ve sent a negotiator, but Linus is beside himself. He wants to send a strong response, and I’m afraid he’s right.”

Rose: “You are not going to do that!”

Silas: “I may have no choice.”

Rose: “No! You are not going to hurt Michelle! I forbid it!”

Silas: “I can give orders for the soldiers to not fire on Michelle, but if this negotiator fails-”

Rose cuts him off, “He can’t fail!”

Silas carries on, “If this negotiator fails, I have to send the army.”

Rose breaks down and starts crying, “This is all Shepherd’s fault! He’s taken everything from us!”

Silas: “You and I both know this isn’t all Shepherd’s fault.”

Rose, sobbing: “We can still get them back! There has to be some way to extract them from Gath!”

Silas: “Them?”

Rose: “Yes, them! Jack and Michelle! Both of our children!”

Silas: “We’ve lost Jack. We’re not getting him back, I’m sorry.”

Rose sobs, “You were always too hard on him!”

Silas, offended, “You coddled him!”

Rose, viciously, “Don’t you dare pin this on me! They’ll both come back! They will!”

Silas: “Jack is in love with Shepherd. Michelle has joined an elite unit of fighters determined to kill me. They’re not coming back.”

Rose: “No one is going to kill Michelle. We’ve spent years fighting to keep her alive, and she’s going to come back to us alive! Do you understand, Silas?”

Silas nods, “I do.”

Rose, with steely conviction: “Michelle gets out alive.”

  * Seth sits hidden in a hedge outside, watching the news on a tablet, “The group is calling itself The Queens of Gilboa, and claim to be an elite faction of David Shepherd’s so-called Army of Free Gilboa. It’s been speculated that Princess Michelle is one of the masked fighters, but so far neither the palace nor the AFG has confirmed anything.”



On the screen is the picture of the Queens with the captured flag.

TV commentator, “If the Princess is one of the fighters, the situation is significantly more complicated for King Silas.”

The branches of the hedge spread, and once again, Thomasina stands looking down at Seth, “I told you, you can’t hide from me.”

Seth, “Oh, come on!”

Thomasina, “Nope. Come on, your mom is worried about you.”

  * A Gilboan army vehicle drives toward the checkpoint, and a line of Queens step out in front of it, holding their guns. Shay and Michelle step out of the guardhouse to see. The vehicle slows to a stop, and a negotiator gets out, followed by four armed soldiers.



Negotiator: “Who’s in charge here?”

Shay goes over, “Shay Mendoza, Army of Free Gilboa.”

Negotiator, sarcastic, “Oh, is that what you’re calling yourselves?”

Shay: “Are you here to negotiate, or get shot?”

The four armed soldiers all point their guns at Shay, and a group of armed Queens point their guns at the soldiers.

Negotiator: “Put the guns down, we’re here to negotiate!” Everyone lowers their guns.

Michelle goes up to Shay, whispering, “What the fuck is this?”

Shay: “They sent a negotiator, so we’re gonna fucking negotiate.”

Michelle: “Negotiate _what_?” She follows Shay and the negotiator into the guardhouse.

  * The negotiator sits down at the desk, with the four soldiers behind him. Shay and Michelle sit down across from him.



Negotiator: “I see we have the princess joining us today. I feel honored.”

Michelle: “Shove it up your ass.”

Negotiator, faintly sarcastic, “Oh, I’ve offended you. My apologies.”

Shay: “What the fuck do you want?”

Negotiator: “I’ve been sent here to negotiate the release of the Gilboan soldiers you currently hold captive.”

Shay: “Good. Get rid of them. They’re a fucking pain in the ass.”

Negotiator goes on: “And the return of this checkpoint into Gilboan army control.”

Shay: “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen. We received orders to keep the border open as long as we can, and that’s what we’re gonna do.”

Negotiator: “Then King Silas will be forced to send the army, and I guarantee, you will not like it when he does.”

Michelle, on a seeming impulse, pulls out her gun and holds it to the negotiator’s head, “This is bullshit. We’re not leaving. The border stays open until you force us out.”

Shay looks on, shocked, but not willing to stop her. The four soldiers move in on Michelle, guns pointed on her.

Negotiator: “Are you sure this is a wise move?”

Michelle: “Yeah, it is, because I guarantee you that none of these motherfuckers wants to be the one who has to go back to Shiloh and tell King Silas they’ve murdered his little girl.”

The soldiers nervously glance at each other and back off. Genuine fear comes over the negotiator’s face.

Shay: “Go back to Silas and make him send the army.” She gently reaches over, puts her hand on Michelle’s arm, and lowers it.

The negotiator, trying to act like he isn’t rattled, “Very well, then.”

  * Afterwards, Shay and Michelle watch the army vehicle leave.



Shay turns to Michelle, “What the fuck, do you want everyone to get killed?!”

Michelle: “Silas won’t hurt me.”

Shay: “He’ll hurt everyone else!”

Michelle: “I know, and I won’t do anything like that again. I just…. It made me angry. I really want Silas to understand that I’m not the sickly, helpless little girl I used to be. I want him to be afraid of me. Because I’m afraid of me.”

Shay puts a hand on Michelle’s arm: “You’re gonna take your anger, and you’re gonna kick Silas’s ass with it, but before that happens, you’ve gotta be able to keep yourself under control.”

Michelle, nodding, “I know. And I will.”

  * Silas and Abner sit in Silas’s office, listening to a radio.



Negotiator, over the radio: “I’m sorry, sir, they refused to negotiate.”

Abner, muttering: “God fucking damnit.”

Silas, “Did you see Michelle?”

Negotiator: “Yes, she stuck a gun in my face.”

Abner: “I told you, she’s dangerous!”

Silas takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes, “Very well. We’ll move on to the next step.”

Abner: “I recommend a raid and an air strike like we did with Samuels’s camp.”

Silas: “No. Send a single unit with orders not to use force unless absolutely necessary, and to not shoot at Michelle.”

Abner: “How are they supposed to tell her apart from the others, especially if she’s firing at them?”

Silas, “Then they’ll just have to take a good look before they fire, because anyone who harms Michelle is going to be punished!”

Abner takes a deep breath, “Fine. I’ll send one of my best units.”

  * In the residence, Helen talks to Seth, “Why are you doing this? You always liked school!”



Seth, “I liked _school_. I had friends there. I’m the only kid in the whole palace, and all I do is work!”

Helen, “You still need to learn-”

Seth, “How are fractions gonna help me be king?”

Helen, “It’s about learning how to solve problems.”

Seth, “I’m pretty sure it’s just about fractions.”

Helen, “Well, sometimes, you just have to sit and do boring things that you don’t like!”

Seth, “This sucks!”

Helen, “I know it does, and I don’t know what else to tell you! Your father will tell you the same thing!”

Seth, “Where is he? I want to talk to him!”

Helen, “He’s busy.”

Seth, “Is he gonna hurt Michelle?”

Helen, “What?”

Seth, “I was about the checkpoint take over. Michelle is there.”

Helen, “He’s not going to hurt his own daughter.”

  * Back in the conference room, David puts a box on the table, and gives Monique a phone and a flash drive, “This is important. Isaiah, you explain.”



Isaiah points at the box, “In there are discrete charges that can be easily be hidden, and then remotely detonated using this phone.”

Joel: “On that drive is a list of Silas’s advisors, ministers, and officers, and their vulnerabilities. There’s also a list of rebels who have been trained in assassination techniques. We can’t get to Silas himself, but we can take out those around him.”

Monique: “Oh, damn, we’re not fuckin’ around anymore.”

David grimaces, “Unfortunately.”

Asher hands Monique a folder, “I made up several false identities for you. You can use them to get back and forth over the border and move around Shiloh without being monitored.”

Monique takes the folder, “Always handy.”

Shay crackles across a radio, “David, you there?”

David takes the radio, “Yeah, what?”

Shay: “Negotiator just left. They’re bringing the army. If you’ve got anyone you want to get back across the border, now’s the time to do it.”

David: “Alright. Will do.”

He looks at Monique, “You don’t have to do this, if it’s too much.”

Monique: “I’ll do it. I’ve been waiting a long time for shit like this to start happening. I’m ready for it.”

  * Helen paces outside of Silas’s office. Thomasina comes through the door, revealing a glimpse of Silas still talking to advisors.



Thomasina, “I’m sorry, but King Silas is still very busy.”

Helen grimaces, “It’s funny, I thought moving to the palace would mean less of you telling me Silas can’t see Seth, but here we are.”

Thomasina, “There’s no picking and choosing when things happen.”

Helen, “Seth knew that whenever you showed up, Dad wasn’t coming to see him that day. I could see it in his face when you’d step out of the car,” she pauses for a moment, thinking, “Was Silas like this with Jack and Michelle, at least?”

Thomasina, “At least when Michelle was healthy. When she was sick, he’d usually drop everything and tend to her, unless there was some sort of crisis.”

Helen, “If he isn’t done by dinnertime, tell him that Seth is sick.”

Thomasina, “This is a crisis, and it would be unwise to give the king more stress than he already has.”

  * Michelle and Shay stand look nervously as a few more cars cross the border.



Michelle: “When are we leaving?”

Shay: “We’ve got everything planted. We can leave any time, but our orders were to keep the border open as long as possible.”

Michelle: “David won’t care if we leave now.”

Shay looks at Michelle, “I’m a soldier. I follow orders as they’re given to me.”

Michelle goes back to the Queen’s transport, climbs in back, and pulls her book out of her pocket. She settles into reading it, and absentmindedly rubs her transplant scar. Up in one of the trees, a Queen looks down the road with a pair of binoculars.

She pulls the binoculars away, and yells, “They’re coming!” She scrambles back down the tree.

Shay starts giving out order, “All right, everyone, we’re getting out of here! Come on, move it!”

The Queens run back to their transport vehicles and climb into the back. Michelle puts her book back in her pocket and makes room.

Shay passes the tied-up soldiers, “All right, you sons of bitches are goin’ home soon, but don’t forget, you got your asses handed to you by the Queens of Gilboa!” She climbs into the back of the transport, and sits next to Michelle, “Let’s go!”

The transport leaves. The army arrives at the border checkpoint. Soldiers, guns out, rush to surround the guardhouse, and are dismayed and disappointed to see it abandoned.

  * In the transport, Shay listens over the radio: “They’re gone sir, back into Gath.”



Shay pulls a phone out of her pocket, “Give them juuuust a minute.”

  * Back at the checkpoint, more trucks full of soldiers arrive. The officer talks into his radio, “Everything went well, all hostages were recovered, no shots were fired.”
  * In the transport, Shay holds the phone out for Michelle, “You want to do the honors?”



Michelle grins, “Fuck yes.” She takes the phone and presses a button.

  * At the checkpoint, four hidden roadside bombs go off, flipping army trucks with them.



  * At HQ, David and others listen to Gilboan army radio messages.



Radio: “There’s been an explosion, we need backup, now!”

David rubs his face, “Fuck. We’ve attacked the army. There’s no going back now.”

  * In the vehicle, the Queens all cheer for Michelle.



  * In Shiloh, Abner speaks very calmly to Silas, holding back an incredible amount of rage, “She’s not your daughter anymore, she’s an enemy combatant! If you continue to make exceptions for Michelle, this will happen again and again and again!”



Silas, “I know! But I can’t give the order that will kill my daughter! I’ve spent too long watching her fight to live!”

Abner: “If you can’t give the order, we’ve already lost the war, Silas.”

Silas, tearful, “I can’t do it. Michelle stays alive!” He gets up and storms out of his office.

  * Outside of his office, Helen sits waiting for him, “Silas.”



Silas, “Not now, Helen, please!”

Helen, “You need to talk to Seth.”

Silas, “That’s your job.”

Helen, “You can’t do this anymore!”

Silas, “Do what?!”

Helen, “Show up once a month and call it parenting. You’re Seth’s father and you need to set an example for him.”

Silas, “What David Shepherd is calling his army just attacked my troops, I am very busy!”

Helen, “Seth needs you!”

Silas, “What did he do, anyway?”

Helen, “He skipped out of his math lesson, twice!”

Silas, “Good for him. I always hated math, too.”

Helen sighs, “He’s asking questions about Michelle. If you don’t answer those questions, he’s going get his answers from the news.”

Silas, grumbling, “All right, all right, I’ll talk to him. Just give me a minute.”

  * Seth sits in his pajamas, watching TV.



Silas enters the room and sits down next to him, “Your mom tells me you skipped out on your math lessons today.”

Seth, “I hate math.”

Silas, “Me, too, but you still need to do your lessons.”

Seth, “Fractions aren’t gonna help me be king.”

Silas, “You’re right, they won’t. But it’s about more than fractions. Math teaches you how to do things logically. How to think in a rational manner.”

Seth, “All I ever think about is how much I hate it.”

Silas chuckles, “Oh, I know. Trust me, I’ve been there. But it makes you a smarter and better person. You just have to take my word for it. Do you trust me?”

Seth thinks for a moment, “Yeah, I trust you, Dad.”

Silas, “Good.”

Seth, “Why were you so busy today?”

Silas, “David Shepherd’s so-called army attacked a border check point.”

Seth, “Was Michelle there?”

Silas, “No.”

Seth, “Then why didn’t you just send the army to wipe them out?”

Silas, “It’s a complicated matter. You have to think about how to handle it very carefully. You try out different ways to handle it, see how they all end, try to figure out which one is best. Not unlike a math problem.”

Seth grimaces, “I want to go back home. I don’t have any friends here. It sucks.”

Silas sighs and thinks for a moment, “Do you know what a sacrifice is, Seth?”

Seth, “It’s something you kill to make God happy.”

Silas laughs softly, “Well, that’s one answer, but it doesn’t always involve killing something. Making a sacrifice means giving something up for a good cause. Being king, I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices. I don’t get a lot of time off. I have to work hard every day. I have to sit through a lot of really boring meetings I’d rather be out of. But it’s what’s required of me, if I want to make my country better. So I do it, because God chose me to be king. He put a crown of butterflies on my head. Now that you’re going to be king, you have to make some of your own sacrifices.”

Seth, “Was I chosen by God, too?”

Silas smiles at Seth, “We’ll wait and see what happens, but I think God knows you’d be a good leader. You just have to make the right sacrifices.”

Seth, “Were Jack and Michelle sacrifices?”

Silas grows more serious, “They aren’t a sacrifice. It’s not a sacrifice if you get it back. And Jack and Michelle are going to come back. Just you wait and see.”

  * At HQ, Michelle stares at herself in the mirror. ([“Daddy Lessons” Beyoncé](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mm9ae_qg9I)) She plays with her long hair and touches her transplant scar. She takes a pair of scissors and cuts her hair off (90s Winona Ryder pixie cut). She goes out to where Shay is telling David, Jack, and Joel about everything.



Michelle: “I want a fucking tattoo.”

  * Joel, with a rigged-together prison style tattoo gun, tattoos the words “HEART BREAKER” on either side of her transplant scar while Michelle chugs whiskey straight from the bottle.




	7. S2, E7: Shimmy

**“Shimmy”**

David drives a car into the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant called Nacho’s. He gets out of the car, goes into the restaurant, and looks around. Sitting at a table, looking harshly at him, sit Samuels’s two sons: Jordan and Brian.

David recognizes them, “You must be Brian and Jordan.” He goes over and sits down.

Jordan: “We asked you to come here because our father wanted you to have something.” He slides a book across the table to David. David picks it up and looks at it, THE BOOK OF SILAS.

David opens it, revealing hand-written pages pasted with old photos and news clippings: “What is this?”

Jordan: “I don’t know, but it was Dad’s dying wish that you get it.”

David: “Look, I know it’s none of my business, but didn’t you two get exiled?”

Brian: “Yeah, we did.”

David: “Did it have anything to do with what your father was doing?”

Brian: “It was because we were stealing from our father’s church.”

David: “Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. I just wondered.”

Brian cuts him off, “We’re not joining you. Frankly, I would never trust someone that my father chose to be king. I just wanted to make sure his final wish got carried out.”

David: “Okay, well, thanks, I guess. I’ll order some lunch and take a look at this.” He flips the first page open.

  * FLASHBACK Young Silas, 16 (dream cast: Ezra Miller), wearing shabby work clothes, but still strikingly handsome, goes out the front door of his family’s small farmhouse. (the scenery is IRL Montana. Harsh, bleak, unforgiving, but beautiful) The place is notably smaller and more run-down than in the movie, the family is obviously quite poor. He goes down to a pen where the family keeps their horses, but sees the door is open.



Silas, “Shit!” He looks around in a panic. He glances back at the house, sees no one coming out of it, and then takes off running in search of the horses. He grabs a beat-up bicycle and takes off down the front path of the farm. He looks around frantically as he pedals, but doesn’t see anything. He reaches the main road leading past the farm. He pedals up the road.

Further ahead stands an ornate iron-wrought gate with a large letter C on it, and a group of soldiers milling around. One of the soldiers is Captain Ephraim Samuels.

Silas pedals up, “Hey, have you seen a bunch of horses? They got loose, and, shit, my dad is really gonna give it to me if he finds out they’re missing!”

Samuels: “Sorry. We haven’t seen anything.”

Silas, “Shit! God fucking damn it!” He lowers his head to the handlebars of his bike and swears some more. Suddenly, he stops, and his sits back up, his demeanor changes, serious and hesitant. He waits a moment before saying, “How old do you have to be to join the army?”

Samuels, “Eighteen.”

Silas, “Can you make an exception?”

Samuels, “What, you want to join?”

Silas, completely serious, “Better than what’s waiting for me at home.”

Samuels: “Well, you can go down to the recruitment center in town, and they’ll tell you the same thing. You gotta be eighteen.”

Silas: “Can I just…. Go with you guys? Say I’m a new soldier.”

Samuels, “Do you even know how to fire an assault rifle without killing yourself?”

Silas: “I learn fast.”

Samuels: “Look, we’re here guarding the Cross property. Apparently, the Phils are too close for comfort for Alister, and he needs a personal guard.”

Silas rolls his eyes, and gives a sneaky grin, “You know Rose is my girlfriend.”

Samuels laughs, “Get the fuck outta here, kid!”

Silas: “I’m serious!”

Samuels: “ _I’m_ serious, get outta here! Your horses will show up! They know where they get fed!”

Silas moves to take off.

Samuels, “Hey, what’s your name?”

Silas: “Silas Benjamin.”

Samuels nods, “I’ll look for you in the new recruits in a few years. If you ever get posted under Captain Ephraim Samuels,” he gestures to the name on his uniform, “You’ll be taken good care of.”

Silas, “Thanks!” He speeds off.

  * Silas rides his bike back towards the farm. The horses are back in the pen, and Rose and William stand by the gate, looking out of place in nice and expensive-looking clothing. Silas sees them, and his jaw drops in amazement.



William sneers, “We found your horses on our property, Silas, you’re lucky our father didn’t turn his dogs on them!”

Rose rolls her eyes and smiles at Silas, “We brought them back for you.”

Silas: “Thank you! You saved my life! You don’t even understand!”

Rose steps forward, her coy smile growing mischievous, “William, you go ahead back home. I’d like to speak to Silas in private.”

o Silas and Rose make out in the barn and rip each other’s clothes off.

  * A butler opens the front door of the Cross home, and Samuels steps in. The house is enormous and elaborately decorated. A large window shows a stunning, rugged mountain range in the distance. Alister and Jane Cross wait for him, smiling.



Alister: “Captain Samuels, so glad you could join us for dinner!”

Samuels: “Your home is beautiful.”

Jane: “Oh, we just summer here, our real home is in Shiloh, where the family business is.”

Samuels: “What business is that?”

Alister points to the gun on Samuels’s hip, “That gun you’re carrying is one of ours. CrossGen makes the weapons that have allowed Gilboa to maintain an army.”

  * Samuels eats a fancy dinner with the Cross family.



Alister: “I can’t believe Gath has gotten this far into Gilboa. It’s an utter disgrace. This whole nation without a king just isn’t working! If you found a nation, there must be a man to rule it!”

Samuels, “I agree with you, sir, but there’s a lot of men out there who want to be king. It seems every officer I meet thinks the crown should be his.”

Alister: “I’ll tell you, I’m higher than any general.”

Samuels, “Is that so?”

Alister: “My great-great grandfather, Sir Jonathan Cross, started the Cross Company manufacturing gunpowder in Edom. My great-great grandmother was a Meritt, you know. So the Cross family has the history and nobility worthy of a royal family.”

Samuels: “It takes more than a family history to be a king, though. I mean, the kid next door could be a king if he had the right ideas.”

William, smirking, “Not Silas, though. He’s an idiot.” Rose glares at William.

Samuels smiles politely, “King Louis XVI and Tsar Nicholas II both had breeding, but look at what happened to their countries. A king must have nobility in his ideals, and the courage to carry them out. That’s what I believe.”

o After dinner, Alister stands by a large window with a breathtaking view of distant mountains.

Alister, “Come and see this, Captain Samuels.”

Samuels comes over and admires the view, “That’s quite stunning.”

Alister, “This is what I paid millions of dollars for. Not every man has the privilege of a view like this. I earned this view with years of hard work. I deserve it.”

Samuels, “It must be nice to be rewarded like this.”

Alister, “So many men struggle and strain their whole lives and never come close to having this view. I can’t help but stand here and feel very powerful overlooking all this majesty. Few men have the right kind of determination that it takes to be king. I was determined to have a few like this, and now I have it.”

  * In his bedroom, Silas sits on his bed and looks forlornly out his window. He sees the exact same view as Alister.



Alister, V.O., “When I see this, I know that I have what it takes to be king.” Silas’s gaze becomes one of stony determination.

  * A couple years later, Major Samuels receives a shipment of new recruits at a camp on the front. They’re all lined up for roll call, and Samuels goes down the list. One of the recruits is “Abner, Linus.”



Samuels reaches, “Benjamin, Silas,” and Silas responds.

Samuels grins at him, “Looks like you made it into the army.”

Silas recognizes Samuels, and grins back, “I guess God’s looking out for me, posting me here.”

Samuels: “Stop by my tent this evening, I want to introduce you to some people.”

  * Later that evening, Samuels plays a game of poker with his fellow officers.



The tent flap opens, and Silas appears on the other side, “You wanted to see me, sir?”

The officers look over, and one shouts, “Who the hell are you?”

Silas: “I’m sorry, am I supposed to knock? I don’t know how you can knock on a tent flap. Major Samuels asked for me.”

Samuels gestures for Silas to enter, “Private Silas Benjamin. I met him a couple years ago, never seen a kid more eager to join the army.”

Silas comes in, “I was just eager to get away from home.”

Samuels: “Sit down, private. We’ll deal you in.”

Silas: “I don’t have anything to bet.”

Samuels pulls a 20 out of his pocket and hands it to Silas, “Bet this, give it back to me when you win it back.”

Silas takes the 20, smiles, and sits down.

Samuels deals, “I met this kid when I was assigned to the Cross family summer home, he came over looking for some horses. You ever find them?”

Silas: “Yeah, they came back.”

Samuels: “You made an impression on me, and not many people do. I’m supposed to be identifying potential officers early on. Even then, I thought you had potential.”

Silas: “Really?”

Samuels: “You were thinking on your feet, you made a plan, committed to carrying it out. Thought of new ways around obstacles. All the skills of a good soldier. Tell me about yourself, Private."

Silas shrugs, “Well, there’s not much to say. I grew up on a farm near a town called Temperance. My parents are Chris and Suzanne. I have a girlfriend named Rose.”

Samuels: “You still saying you’re dating Rose Cross?”

Silas takes a photo out of his pocket, “The one and only.” In the photo, Silas playfully kisses a smiling Rose on the cheek.

Samuels, “I’ll be damned. I thought you were full of shit.”

The officer sitting next to Samuels looks at the picture, “Oof! look at the tits on her!”

Silas jumps to his feet, “Don’t you dare fucking talk that way about Rose or I swear I will fucking kick your ass!”

Officer: “You want to get court-martialed on your first day?”

Samuels, with clear authority: “Sit down, private!”

Silas holds his head up, but then sits, “I apologize. I lost my temper. I just don’t like to see Rose disrespected.”

Officer: “Apology accepted, but you’d better watch your ass from now on.”

Samuels: “Do you have any family in the military?”

Silas: “My dad was in the army when he was young. Won a medal. Never misses an opportunity to remind people that he won a medal.”

Samuels laughs: “Gave you something to look up to, that’s good!”

Silas grimaces, “I don’t want to be like my dad.”

Samuels: “Well, what do you want to do when you leave the army?”

Silas: “I- I don’t know, I haven’t thought too much about like… careers and shit.”

Samuels: “At the rate that that officers keep getting killed and replaced, you could have a very impressive career in a few short years, if you stay alive. That can lead to a lot of things.”

Silas smiles and blushes, “I guess I’d like to marry Rose. A house and a wife, that’s all anyone could want, right? I… I want to have kids. I want my kids to be happy. I want to be happy.”

Samuels smiles and nods, “That’s an honorable dream. You know, they’re looking for a king of Gilboa, that could be you.”

Silas laughs, “What, me? King Silas? Ha, I wish.”

  * Samuels, Silas, and Abner are pinned down in in a ditch during a firefight.



Samuels screams into his radio, “We need backup! We’ve got at least a dozen Phils firing on us! Do you read me?!”

Abner, “Oh my god, we’re gonna die!”

Silas: “Shut the fuck up, Linus!” He grits his teeth and fires back at the enemy soldiers. He looks around, assessing their positions, and forming a plan in his head.

Silas: “You have to cover me!”

Abner: “What?!”

Silas: “Fucking cover me!”

Silas climbs out of their ditch, and runs toward the Gath soldiers while Abner provides cover fire.

Samuels yells after him, “Benjamin! Benjamin!” He gives up yelling and provides more cover fire.

([“Witness” Mindless Self Indulgence](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrg_h7_Z-bI)) Silas makes it over to the Gath side, and shoots two soldiers. He proceeds to fight the remaining ten, kicking, punching, shooting, and stabbing his way through them.

Abner and Samuels both stare slack-jawed in astonishment.

The final soldier runs up behind Silas, reaches and arm around him, and stabs him in the stomach, but Silas points his gun over his shoulder, and shoots him in the head. Silas stands there, wounded and triumphant, as Gilboan backup finally arrives.

A smile comes over his face. He mutters, “King Silas,” and collapses. (montage!)

o Silas in a hospital bed is given a medal and a promotion. Cameras flash and Silas shakes hands, gives a thumbs-up, and smiles.

o He swaggers around camp, giving out hi-fives.

o He bravely leads troops into battle.

o In camp, he spins around and does finger guns.

o He bests a Gath soldier in hand-to-hand combat.

o Rose stands by a CrossGen weapons display. Silas walks up, grabs her, and kisses her dramatically.

o A grenade lands by Silas in battle. He grabs it and throws it back.

o He receives another medal.

o He marries a visibly pregnant Rose in a dirt-cheap army base ceremony, Samuels officiating. (Rose wears a blue butterfly pin on her dress).

o He struts around a base in his officer’s uniform, Abner dutifully following behind him.

o He runs, firing off his gun and mowing down a row of Gath soldiers. He comes to one final soldier, cowering against a wall, holding up a white handkerchief, and needlessly bayonets the shit out of him. (end music)

  * Silas is court-martialed, Samuels standing by his side.



Judge: “On the charge of cruelty and maltreatment, Colonel Silas Benjamin is hereby found not guilty.”

Silas breathes a sigh of relief.

He walks to leave the courtroom, but Samuels is waiting for him at the door, “May I speak to you, Colonel?”

Silas, “Yes, General?”

Samuels: “This will be your last court martial. I’ve gotten you out of insubordination, but cruelty and maltreatment, I can’t abide.”

Silas, smarmy: “Even against a Phil?”

Samuels, “I’m dead serious, Colonel.”

Silas nods, “Of course, General. I will follow all of your orders as you give them to me.”

Samuels, “Fight a war long enough, it gets inside of you, I understand that, and I know your daughter’s illness has been an immense strain, but as officers, we must be men of a higher standard. We cannot fall victim to our most basic instincts.”

Silas, “I understand, sir.”

Samuels, “You have greatness in you, Silas, you just have to keep hold of it.”

  * In a boardroom, Alister Cross argues in front of the commanders of the army that he should be king, “This has dragged on far too long, Gilboa needs a ruler, and I should be king!”



Another general: “What experience do you have leading men?”

Alister, “I’m the owner and CEO of a corporation that employs millions of people. I give orders every day that affect the military, and its ability to defend against our enemies. Without CrossGen, the nation of Gilboa wouldn’t exist!”

Samuels looks on skeptically.

Alister, “Gentlemen, will you support me in the creation of a new national charter?”

One by one, the commanders go down the table, each saying yes.

They reach Samuels, who waits a moment before saying, “No.”

Alister looks at Samuels with hatred and disbelief, “Why?”

Samuels, “A man who makes his money off of war will never make peace. Our nation needs peace.”

Alister, quivering with fury, “Who will be king then? Who else could possibly lead Gilboa?!”

Samuels: “Silas Benjamin.”

  * Samuels is driven through the devastated town of Jabesh. He looks around in horror at the devastation.



Abner sits beside him, explaining, “We got word of a Gath attack on Jabesh, and we were the first unit to arrive. General Benjamin gave the order, no prisoners, save the town. He broke us up into three groups. They didn’t even see us coming.”

The jeep comes to a stop in front of a tent where headquarters have been set up.

Samuels: “Do you have a report on casualties?”

Abner: “Silas said no prisoners. I haven’t got any number, but I can tell you, sir, it’s a fuckin’ shitload of dead Phils, and no losses on our side.”

Samuels climbs out of the jeep and continues to look around in dismay, “Where is General Benjamin?”

Abner: “I don’t know, sir.”

Samuels turns around and goes into the tent. Soldiers stand to greet him.

Samuels, “Where is General Benjamin?”

One of the soldiers: “We received a report that Premier Achison himself is nearby. General Benjamin said he had a plan, and told us not to follow him. I believe he’s out looking for Achison.”

Samuels: “What?!”

Soldier: “He’s not here, sir!”

Samuels, “He disobeyed my orders!”

Abner, smirking, “Did you hear, General? Achison’s son Michael was killed last night. Gath doesn’t have a proper heir anymore. Now the leadership’s gonna go to the premier’s son-in-law. Some poor schmuck named Gerald.”

Other soldier: “Do you want me to send a search party, General?”

Abner: “A search party will attract more Phils. If Silas is on a stealth mission, we can’t do anything that will draw attention.”

Samuels shakes his head, “Colonel Abner is right. Silas is on his own.”

  * Sunset, Samuels stands outside the tent, looking off into the distance where Silas went.



Across Jabesh, Gilboan soldiers dump dead Gath soldiers into mass graves. Later, Samuels and Abner sit in a tent, playing cards.

Samuels: “I’m retiring from the army as soon as this campaign is over. I’m going to be happy to never have to worry about Silas again.”

Abner: “Oh, yeah? What are you going to do for work?”

Samuels: “I’m entering the ministry. I’m going to become a reverend.”

Abner: “Going from General Samuels to Reverend Samuels. That’s quite a change.”

Samuels: “It’s the only way I’ll be able to make peace with my soul.”

Abner: “Whatever works for you. I doubt I’ll ever leave the military. It just has a way of sucking you in.”

Samuels: “I thought about staying on just so I could stop Alister Cross from becoming king, but, I can’t stop that. I need to get out while I still can.”

Abner: “You know, all the guys in the unit want Silas to be king.”

Samuels: “He’s head of their unit, he’s already their king.”

Abner: “That’s just it. It’s not just our unit. I’ve talked to the heads of more units than I can count, they all say their men want Silas as king. Alister Cross, he’s some stupid, closed-off rich guy. He’s never bled for Gilboa. Silas is one of us. He knows what normal people need. You said you supported him in the past.”

Samuels: “I think Silas is a better choice than Alister Cross, certainly. But Silas disobeyed orders and left his post. He’s got another court martial waiting for him, and I told him at his last one that I wouldn’t defend him again.”

Abner nervously glances at a clock, “He’s gotta make it back, first.”

  * Later, Abner tries to sleep in his cot. He tosses and turns, and then gets up. He goes back to where Samuels keeps vigil outside the main tent.



Abner approaches Samuels, and says, softly, “Still not back?”

Samuels: “No.”

Abner sighs nervously, “He’d never, ever let the Phils capture him. He said he’d kill himself, first.”

Samuels: “That was before he had a wife and kids.”

Abner: “If he doesn’t make it back, who’s gonna be the one to tell Rose?”

Samuels: “I will. She deserves to hear it from me.”

  * Crack of dawn, Samuels sits in a folding chair, rubbing his bleary eyes, but still keeping watch. He looks down the road, and sees a figure approaching. He gets to his feet.



The figure gets closer, and Samuels yells, “Linus!”

Abner appears at his side, “Is it Silas?”

The figure nears, and it becomes visible as Silas, covered in blood and quite plainly having come out of a fight to the death. He half limps, half struts towards the camp, holding something in his hand.

Abner: “Silas! Silas!”

Other soldiers hear the shouting, and come up to see, shouting, “Silas, man, you made it!”

Silas nears, and he raises up what he has in his hand: The severed head of Premier Achison. Samuel’s jaw drops in horror and disgust. Abner and the other soldiers whoop and shout in triumph.

Abner, “Mother fucking KING SILAS, man!”

Silas fixes Samuels with his darkest, evilest smile. He comes to stand inches away from him and drops the head at his feet while Samuels can only gawk.

o At the Gath army camp, where young Shaw enters a tent and finds the dead bodies of his fellow officers and the headless body of his father-in-law.

  * In a tent, now Premier Shaw and his officers sign a paper with Samuels, Silas, and Abner looking on. Silas looks directly at Shaw and grins like a son of a bitch.



Shaw signs the paper, “The nation of Gath hereby surrenders to the nation of Gilboa.”

Samuels signs the paper, “We accept your surrender.” (Reprise of “Witness”)

  * Silas is driven around in a huge military ticker-tape parade, sitting in the back of a convertible and waving and making finger guns at the adoring crowds, Rose beside him.



o Silas stands in a boardroom: “With the signing of this new national charter, Gilboa officially becomes a nation with a king, chosen by God, supported by the people!”

The charter is passed from man to man, including Samuels, and they each sign it.

The charter reaches Alister Cross, who glares at Silas, and then signs the charter.

o In front of a massive, cheering crowd, Silas sits in the throne, Samuels holding the crown of Gilboa.

Samuels, “Do you vow to faithfully and wholly serve the kingdom of Gilboa?”

Silas, smirking with abundant confidence, “I do.”

Samuels, “Do you vow to fight to protect its citizens?”

Silas, “I do.”

Rose, wearing a golden dress decorated with butterflies, weeps while toddler Michelle and Jack stand at her side.

Samuels, “Will you lay down your life to defend your nation and kingdom?”

Silas, “I will.”

Samuels, “Do you freely and willingly take this oath?”

Silas, “I do.”

Samuels places the crown on his head, “Then I hereby crown you, His Royal Majesty, King Silas Benjamin of Gilboa.”

Rose applauds ferociously. Abner weeps tears of joy.

Alister claps politely while William just scowls, “That’s our fucking crown.”

Rose goes over and kneels before her king. Silas soaks in the glory of it all in.

o Later, Silas mounts the skull of Premier Achison in his office, and smiles. (end music) (end flashback)

  * David drives home at night, the Book of Silas in the seat beside him. As David drives through the city, he keeps making nervous glances at the book. Suddenly, his car is t-boned, and flips over.



David, wearing his seatbelt, is okay, but has a gash on his forehead. He undoes his seatbelt, grabs the Book, and crawls out of the broken window. An onlooker frantically runs toward him, yelling.

David looks up, “What happened?”

Onlooker, “The other car sped up towards you, it looked like he was trying to hit you!”

David looks in the driver’s window of the other car, and sees Norman in the seat, impaled on a stop sign.

  * At the hospital, David gets his head sewn up.



He calls Jack, who picks up, “David?”

David: “Look, don’t freak out, but I got in a car accident and I’m at the hospital.”

Jack: “What?!”

David: “I’m fine, I’m fine, just a cut on my head, they’re sewing it up. I’ll catch a cab, be back at the hotel before you know it.”

Jack: “I’m coming and picking you up!”

David: “No, don’t! Listen, the car that hit me, Norman was driving it. He was killed. I need you to tell Abby.”

Jack: “Oh- okay. I can do that. Did you at least meet Jordan and Brian?”

David: “Yeah, they gave me this book. The Book of Silas. You should take a look at it.”

Jack: “What’s in it?”

David shakes his head, “It’s- the story of how Silas became king. The real story. It’s… something else.”

  * At the hotel, Abby rushes to great David, tearful. She flings her arms around him and hugs him tightly.



David hugs her gently: “I’m so sorry, Abby.”

Abby, crying: “Thank god that motherfucker’s dead. This is the best day of my life.” Abby steps back, “Norman was going to kill me. I have my life back. I have my freedom back. Because of you.”

David: “I didn’t do anything.”

Abby: “David, you have my undying loyalty. I swear, I will do everything I can to serve you, and the Army of Free Gilboa.”

David: “Don’t- I don’t want blind, fanatical devotion.”

Abby: “You saved my life.”

David, shaking his head: “I have had the weirdest fucking day.”

  * In their room, Jack reads the Book of Silas while David showers. David gets out and gets dressed while Jack looks over the photos and news clippings on the pages.



Jack: “Well, that explains the skull in Dad’s office.”

David: “Did you know all this?”

Jack: “I heard a lot of stories. Some of them match up to this, but I never knew what was the truth.”

David: “Do you know what this means?”

Jack: “Mom and dad lied about their wedding date. Mom was pregnant with me and Michelle when she and Dad got married.”

David: “You could have had a life where you weren’t a prince.” He pauses dramatically, lets it all sink in, and then goes on, “This is all fucking Samuels’s fault. He started out by fucking up Silas’s life by picking him to be king, and that led to so many other lives being fucked up. And now, Samuels is trying to fix his mistake by fucking up my life.”

Jack: “Dad chose to be king, David. Samuels only helped it happen.”

There’s a knock at the door. David answers, and Joel and Isaiah enter.

Joel: “Did you see it?”

David: “See what?”

Joel turns on the TV. A news program shows an aerial view of firefighters trying to put out a blazing car.

A reporter narrates, “We're getting reports that the car that blew up belonged to Bradley Kuntz, a high-ranking leader in the MSS.”

Joel and Isaiah are ecstatic, “That’s us! That was us! We fucking did that!” David turns the TV off.

  * In Shiloh, Silas watches the news of his advisor’s assassination, and sits in his office alone. The skull of Premier Achison sits on its shelf.




	8. S2, E8: Nye Ver', Nye Boysia, Nye Prosi

8\. **“Nye Ver’, Nye Boysia, Nye Prosi”**

Wednesday sits at the bar of a fancy hotel, sipping a martini. She nervously eyes the front door. One of Silas’s advisors, Victor enters. Wednesday smiles and stands up.

Victor comes over and kisses her on the cheek, “You look lovely this evening.”

Wednesday: “Thank you. I was just finishing my drink, would you like one?”

Victor: “No. Let’s just go up to the room.”

  * Wednesday and Victor enter a luxe hotel room.



Wednesday, “I know you want to get busy, but you’re going to have to give me a minute to get ready, all right?”

Victor sighs, “You tease.”

Wednesday laughs, casts a glance behind her, and says, “Just a minute.” She goes into the bathroom.

Victor takes his jacket off, loosens his tie, and lays down on the bed, “You wouldn’t believe the week I’ve had! You paid any attention to the news?”

Wednesday, in the bathroom, shimmies out of her dress, revealing fancy lingerie underneath, “Uh, yeah, I’ve heard about the bombings.”

Victor: “Everyone who works for Silas now has to keep their car under 24-hour surveillance. It’s an enormous pain in the ass. Silas is screaming at everyone who enters his office. I’m in the ministry of communication, and somehow, Silas has it in his head that it’s our fault that people are supporting David Shepherd and the AFG. I’ve actually had to explain it to him, it’s not my fault that Shepherd is good-looking. He has kind eyes! How the fuck am I supposed to convince people that this good-looking kid with kind eyes is really some evil would-be tyrant?”

In the bathroom, Wednesday adjusts her hair, making sure something is well-covered.

Victor, “Claudia?”

Wednesday turns around and exits the bathroom, “Baby, you’re a big, important man, I know, and your job is hard.”

Victor: “Lookin’ at you, my job’s not the only thing that’s hard.”

Wednesday saunters over to the bed. She leans over the advisor and touches his face, “You just let me make your life a little bit easier, all right?”

Victor, “You always do.”

Wednesday smiles, and crawls onto the bed. She straddles Victor, bends over, and kisses him. She reaches into her hair, and slips a razor blade in between her fingers. With a swift single movement, she cuts the blood vessels on one side of Victor’s throat.

Victor clutches at his neck, and sees the blood on his hands, “What the fuck?!”

Wednesday slashes the other side of his neck, even more blood gushing out. She hops off the bed and hurries into the bathroom. Frantically, she washes the blood off of her hands. She puts her dress back on and grabs her purse. She pulls a can of spray paint out, and goes back over to the bed, where Victor lays dead. Wednesday sprays three golden stars over his body. She puts the can back into her purse, and leaves.

  * Outside the hotel, she gets into a car.



Driver: “You get him?”

Wednesday: “Oh, Christ, that felt good.”

The driver hands her a stack of papers, “False ID, get you to Gath.” He starts the car.

Wednesday, “I’m joining the Queens of Gilboa!”

Driver, “Yeah, before you go, we have to stop somewhere.”

Wednesday: “Where?”

  * Outside a run-down warehouse, the driver and another guy shove a blindfolded, gagged, and bound spy who poisoned David into the trunk of the car, and slam the door shut. Driver gets back in the car.



Wednesday: “Who the fuck is that? Are we doing kidnappings now?”

Driver starts the car, “Kidnappings for ransom aren’t our thing. This bitch, she’s special. She’s a spy, went to Gath, tried to poison David.”

Wednesday: “You’re kidding me.”

Driver: “Yup. Gath spy network identified her, we’re just picking her up and bringing her where she needs to be.” They drive off.

  * Morning, Reinhardt walks through a parking garage, talking on his phone, “Victor Lyons is dead because he’s a moron who loves hookers. I warned him months ago that the AFG would be recruiting prostitutes, but he didn’t listen to me.” He listens and reaches his car.



He unlocks it and gets in, “Sir, I assure you, Lyons was an easy target. All we need is some basic security measures, and everything will be fine.”

A bomb hidden in the car next to him goes off, and Reinhardt ducks below his window, protected by the bomb-proof steel of his car door.

He sits back up, his arm injured, blood pouring from a gash on his forehead, “I’ll have to call you back, sir.”

  * At the hotel, Jack sits reading the newspaper in bed while David gets dressed in a suit.



Jack, “HAAA HAHA Victor Lyons got killed by a hooker last night!”

David: “Sex worker.”

Jack: “What?”

David: “Hooker is derogatory, say sex worker instead.”

Jack, “Yeah, well, Lyons got his ass murdered by a sex worker, who was working for us. I fuckin’ hated that prick! I bet Reinhardt’s shitting himself right now.”

David puts a tie on, “Listen, Joel told me we’ve got a bunch of missions going off right now. I want to stay here and listen to the progress reports, but Shaw invited me to Mass with his family and I can’t really say no.”

Jack, “Yeah, okay. Just so you know, Michael and Fredrick are morons, but Leon’s pretty cool. He’s just like seventeen, though.”

David, “Good to know. Listen, some people are coming in from Shiloh, you’re gonna have to be the one who greets them. I think your sex worker is gonna be one of them. You can congratulate her on a job well done.”

Jack, “Yeah, fine. Just don’t let Gerald hit you over the head with a copy of _Das Kaptial_ , all right?”

  * David climbs up the front steps of the National Cathedral of Gath.



At the top, Shaw and his family wait, “David! So glad you came to join us this morning!”

David shakes his hand, “I’m glad to be here, sir.”

Shaw, “I’d like you to meet my family. My wife, Marlene.”

David shakes her hand, “Very pleased to meet you.”

Shaw, “And my sons, Michael, Fredrick, and Leon.”

Michael and Fredrick are slightly older than David, but Leon is still a teenager.

David shakes their hands, “Pleased to meet you.”

Michael: “You’re the one who freed our hostages and blew up a Goliath.”

David, “Among other things, yeah.”

Shaw, “You’ll have to forgive Michael, he’s spent quite a bit of time leading his unit in battle against the Gilboan army. When he heard the news of your… escapade, he was very angry.”

David laughs nervously, “Yeah, well, Gath did kind of kill my father and my brother, so I guess I can understand what it’s like to be angry.”

Marlene, “King Silas murdered my father!”

David, “And Silas tried to kill me, so, hey, we can all agree that we don’t like Silas, right?”

Shaw, “Why don’t I show you the cathedral?”

  * Inside, David looks up at the bright stained-glass windows, depicting various saints and the instruments of their martyrdom.



Shaw, “Modern Gath was founded on the principals of socialism. Our great leader, Nicolas Achison, was quite wise, and he saw what happened to the legacies of Stalin and Mao, and knew that he wouldn’t have his revolution undone, so he decided that leadership of Gath would be kept within the men of the Achison family."

David, "So, a monarchy.”

Shaw, “No, no, no, we’re not a monarchy, leadership doesn’t automatically go to the oldest son. It just so happened that Premier Achison only had a son and a daughter, and I married his daughter. One day, my premiership will be handed down to whichever son I believe is the most capable leader.”

David, “So… who’s that gonna be?”

Shaw, “I prefer not to show favoritism.”

David shrugs, “Okay.”

Shaw goes on, “One other way we differ from other socialist countries is that here, we embrace God, we worship Him and ask Him for guidance. Gath doesn’t have the same moral corrosion as Gilboa. I am the head of this state, but I lead for the people. I’m not swayed by the whims of the bourgeoisie the way that Silas is.”

David, “You wouldn’t believe the kinds of things William Cross was able to get away with in Gilboa.”

Shaw, “Do you want to be king, David?”

David sighs, “That’s a really good question, sir.”

Shaw, “What do you believe it is that a king should do?”

David, “Not murder his own citizens, for a start.”

Shaw laughs, “Being a leader isn’t easy, but it’s very rewarding, in its own way. We should join Marlene and the boys. Mass is about to begin.”

o David sits beside Shaw, as everyone prays Our Father.

David leans over to Shaw and whispers, “Deliver us from evil. That’s what a king does.”

  * Before the front door of the hotel can even shut on him, Jack runs up to David, “We got her!”



David: “Who?”

Jack: “The bitch that poisoned you!”

  * Later, in his office, Shaw speaks to his computer, “What do you want?”



On his screen, William appears, “Good day, your excellency! I know you aren’t terribly fond of bourgeoise scum such as myself, but since you buy plenty of my weapons, I thought I should speak with you.”

Shaw, “Yes?”

William: “I’m not gonna fuck around. You hate Silas. I hate Silas. I tried to overthrow Silas. Someone else who’s trying to overthrow Silas is currently a guest in your country. I believe there’s an agreement to be made here.”

Shaw: “Shepherd has said he is going to be king. I know you want the crown all for yourself.”

William, “It should have been mine in the first place!”

Shaw: “Are you going to try to overthrow me, too?”

William, “No. Why would I want to rule Gath?”

Shaw: “What do you want, Mr. Cross?”

William grows cold and serious, “Shepherd is going to turn on you.”

Shaw grows more serious, “Why do you say that?”

William: “Because he has fucking morals, and he’s going to learn about your prison camps sooner or later. I don’t give a fuck, and because of that, you can trust me.”

Shaw: “What are you trying to do?”

William: “Overthrow Silas and get my crown! I believe that David can help me do that, but I need your help to help me help Shepherd.”

Shaw: “So what do you want?”

William: “The deets on Shepherd. What he does, where he goes, the people he’s with.”

Shaw: “Right now, I believe he’s at our police headquarters. Something about the person who poisoned him.”

William: “He was poisoned?!”

Shaw: “Prince Jack recognized it right away and acted quickly.”

William: “I need to know this!”

Shaw: “Very well, I’ll stay in touch with you, then.”

William: “You need to keep Shepherd loyal to you.”

Shaw: “And how am I going to do that?”

William: “Offer autonomy to the borderlands. That’s his home, he’s not going to say no.”

Shaw: “I can’t undermine my own authority.”

William: “How badly do you want to see Silas gone? Because if Shepherd remains loyal to you,  
you can use him to fight Silas.”

Shaw: “I just ended a war. I vowed that I would protect the peace, and I will continue to do that!”

William, smarmy and sarcastic, “Oh, will you? Because I promise you, Silas is gearing up for another war. It would be a shame if he should declare one and Gath should suddenly not have any weapons with which to defend itself. There’s gonna be another war, and with Shepherd on your side, you can fuckin’ win.”

Shaw sighs heavily, “I’ll think about it.”

William: “Also, if you’ve got one Gilboan spy in Gath, there’s more. If I were you, I’d get that spy to talk.”

Shaw, “Thank you, Mr. Cross.”

  * Gath version of the Lubyanka. David, Jack, Shay, Joel, Abby, and Asher stand on the hidden side of a one-way mirror while the spy sits handcuffed to a table on the other side.



David: “So… now what do we do?”

Jack: “We interrogate her.”

David: “Do any of us know anything about how to interrogate a spy?”

Jack: “I know a few techniques.”

Shay: “I know how to cause immense amounts of pain, that’s all you need.”

Abby: “She’s fucking trained, if you try torturing her, she’ll only give us false information!”

Shay: “Having your head held under water is not torture.”

Abby: “I have reports, study after study, all of which show that harsh interrogation techniques do not fucking work!”

Shay, in a childish mocking voice: “I have reports, I have studies!”

Abby: “Just see how fucked we’ll be when we make a mistake because we acted on a spy telling us what we want to hear!”

David rubs his eyes: “Oh my God. Asher, what do you say?”

Asher: “I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to tell you that torture is wrong, but I spent an afternoon cleaning up your barf because of her, so fuck that bitch.”

Spy, without an accent: “Are you in there blowing each other, or are you going to fucking interrogate me?”

Shay: “The longer we take, the more she’s gonna know we have no idea what we’re doing.”

David: “Fine. Jack, Shay, you two go ask some questions, okay?”

Jack: “Give me a minute. I think I have a plan, I just… I just need to think it out.”

Shay rolls her eyes and goes into the interrogation room.

Joel: “David, can I talk to you privately for a moment?”

  * David follows Joel out into a hallway.



Joel, “Listen, David…” he looks up and sees a security camera at the end of the hallway. He looks around and spots a broom closet.

Joel, “Come here,” he leads David into the closet.

David, “Why are we in a closet?”

Joel: “So we won’t get listened to. Do you know the history of this building?”

David: “Um… it’s a police building?”

Joel: “In 1965, my grandfather came to Gath from the Soviet Union on a cultural exchange. They found him carrying human rights reports on the Soviets and brought him here. The tortured him for days, and then sent him to a prison camp. He managed to escape from there and defect to Gilboa.”

David: “Oh. That’s… cool, I guess?”

Joel unbuttons the top buttons of his shirt and shows David the “Не Верь Не Бойся Не Проси” tattoo on his collarbone, “Do you know what this means?”

David: “No.”

Joel: “ _Nye ver’, nye boysia, nye prosi_. Don’t trust, don’t fear, don’t beg. It’s how you survive in a gulag. We can’t trust, fear, or beg from Gath or Shaw. You can trick yourself into thinking that just because we seem to be safe here, it means we really are safe. You can come to think that maybe things are better in Gath than they are in Gilboa, but trust me, things here are just as fucked up.”

David: “Are… you familiar with Bilial?”

Joel: “Bilial? He’s a fucking religious nutjob who wants to replace one brutal regime with another. But he’s not wrong about Shaw, okay?”

David, exasperated, “We can’t really be an army without Gath’s help. We’d be pretty fucked without a safe place to stay.”

Joel: “Yeah, I know, it’s why I didn’t say anything to you earlier. But you need to know. Shaw’s help comes with a price, and some day soon, he’s going to come asking. What are you willing to sacrifice for what we’re fighting for?”

David: “I’m not even entirely sure what it is we’re fighting for. I’ve got to figure some shit out.”

  * Silas and Abner sit in Silas’s office, staring at Reinhardt, arm in a sling, forehead bandaged, with a nasty black eye and small cuts all over his face. Abner barely conceals a smirk.



Reinhardt, “I’ve had combat wounds before. This is nothing. It looks much worse than it is.”

Abner, “And here I thought Shepherd was much too fond of you to order an attack on you.”

Silas, “Shepherd doesn’t give a fuck.”

Reinhardt, “I don’t know if he gave the order to attack me specifically. It pains me to say this, but I believe all the attacks so far have been attacks of opportunity. We should be taking some more advanced security measures.”

Silas, “What other news do you have?”

Reinhardt, “The spy who poisoned Shepherd was reported missing this morning. She was supposed to report to the MSS building, but didn’t show up, and her apartment is empty. She isn’t responding to any messages.”

Silas sighs deeply, “Is this Shepherd or Gath?”

Reinhardt, “It could be both.”

Abner, “Is there the chance it’s the work of an angry ex-boyfriend?”

Reinhardt, dismissively, “Pft. No. This girl could defend herself.”

Silas, “I received a message this morning from Andrew Cross saying that Shepherd’s so-called army has her.”

Reinhardt, “How would he know that?”

Silas, “Says his father is talking to Gerald.”

Abner, “This could compromise our entire spy program in Gath.”

Reinhardt, “My spies don’t talk! What the hell makes you believe him, anyway?!”

Silas, “I didn’t, but then you said the spy was missing. How could she have been taken, Caesar?”

Reinhardt, shame-faced, “I don’t know.”

Abner, “It may be time for a review of the MSS’s basic safety procedures.”

Reinhardt bites his tongue, full of murder.

Silas, “Does Shepherd have operatives within the MSS?”

Reinhardt, “If he does, by god, I will find them and kill them!”

Silas, “I trust you to do this, Caesar. You are good at your job, and I have never once regretted choosing you over someone older and more experienced.”

Reinhardt, “I swear to you, sir, I will be the one who ends Shepherd.”

Silas, “Good,” he pauses and thinks for a moment, “I don’t think we need to worry too much about our spy. Can either of you imagine Shepherd doing an interrogation? He’s too damn polite. He’s like a fat lazy cat that catches a mouse and then doesn’t know what to do with it.”

  * David goes back into the room beside the interrogation room. On the other side of the mirror, Shay holds they spy’s head down in a bucket of water.



David: “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” He leans into the microphone, “Knock it off, will you?!”

Shay lets go of the spy, who comes up sputtering, but laughing.

Spy: “Whoo! That was fun! Just like going to the waterpark when I was a kid!”

David: “Shay, would you come here, please?”

Spy: “Shepherd’s here?! Yeah, I recognize your voice! How’d you enjoy the shake?!”

Shay leaves the interrogation room and joins David and the others.

Shay: “Does anyone else have a fucking plan?!”

Jack: “I do.”

Jack goes into the interrogation room.

Spy: “Ooooh! I get the prince! Nice!”

Jack: “You shoulda tried something other than aconite, I’ve seen it a million times and recognized it right away. I personally would have gone with ricin. Slower acting, starts out like the flu, probably woulda just thought David was sick and wouldn’t have pinned it on the diner.”

Spy: “I don’t have that kind of patience. I’m a kill-em-quick kinda girl.”

Jack: “Too bad. Because your fuckup landed you here,” he sits down, “Look, I get it, you’re a professional. I’ve seen our spy training program up close, so I know what it’s like, and I know the old head in a bucket trick isn’t going to work on you.”

Spy: “And now you’re onto the good cop part of the interrogation, right?”

Jack: “Do you believe in God?”

Spy: “What?” Jack: “My dad says God is on his side, Premier Shaw says God is on his side, a lot of people say God is on David’s side. Seems like a good place to start when getting to know you.”

Spy: “I believe in God. I accept Jesus Christ as my personal lord and savior.”

Jack: “Okay-”

He tries to say more but Spy cuts him off, “And I believe that there is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger! I’ll believe whatever the fuck you want me to believe, buddy! I know you’re trying to be my friend. And I know exactly what you want from me. Who am I? How did I get to Gath? Are there others like me? What are they planning? So don’t expect me to tell you any of that.”

Jack smirks, “Do you want some coffee?”

Spy makes a curious face, but smiles, “Sure. Anything that’ll make this go faster. Four sugars, no cream.”

Jack turns around, “David, go get our guest some coffee.”

David looks on, surprised.

Jack: “Seriously, go get her some!”

David goes and fetches a cup. He goes into the interrogation room.

Spy, sarcastic: “Oh my god, it’s David Shepherd! I can’t believe I get to meet him!” She drinks her coffee, “You were so fucking easy to find. You go to the same diner and eat the same shit almost every day. Seriously my job shouldn’t be this easy!”

Jack: “How’s the coffee?”

Spy: “The coffee in this country tastes like shit.”

Jack: “It’s not the coffee that tastes like shit, it’s the ten milligrams of ricin that David put in there.”

The spy sits coffee all over the table.

Jack laughs: “Just kidding. You’ll be fine. Maybe. You should be more careful when making your assumptions about us.” He gets up and leaves, and David follows.

  * In the observation room, Shaw is waiting for them.



David, “Uh, hello, sir, we’re just trying to talk to this spy.”

Shaw: “Have you gotten anything?”

Jack: “No. In Gilboa, the spies have these fucked up loyalty tests, it basically makes sure they won’t say shit under sudden duress. I think I can get her to talk to us, but it’s gonna take time.”

Shaw: “That won’t do. If Silas has a spy network in Gath, I need to know as soon as possible.”

Jack: “I think I can get some real answers from her, but I’m gonna need more than an afternoon. It could take weeks, months even.”

Shaw: “If you can’t get me answers right now, I’m sending my professionals in.”

Jack: “No, you don’t have to!”

Shaw leaves.

David: “Shit!”

  * David rushes into the interrogation room, panicked, and speaks to the spy, “Look, Shaw is bringing his men in, and if you want us to be the ones dealing with you, you need to give us some answers, now!”



Spy: “Fuck you, Shepherd! I know psychological pressure when I see it!”

Two uniformed Gath officers enter behind David, one carrying an ominous-looking case that he sets on the desk.

David: “Just tell us one thing!”

Spy: “FUCK YOU!”

One of the officers says, “Would you please leave the room, Captain Shepherd?”

Spy: “Yeah, Captain Shepherd, we don’t need you anymore!”

David, with a defeated sigh: “Please, just tell them what you know.”

David leaves. As the door closes, one of the officers open the case, and takes out a power drill. The two officers both look at the spy, and fear comes into the spy’s eyes.

  * Andrew is let into Silas’s office, and Silas eyes him warily.



Andrew, “You called for me?”

Silas, “Sit down.”

Andrew sits.

Silas goes on, “One of our spies is missing. It seems that your story about Shepherd and his so-called army has some truth to it.”

Andrew, “Why would I lie like that?”

Silas, “What is Shepherd doing?”

Andrew, “Doing, sir?”

Silas, “He has plans. Ephraim chose him to lead for a reason. I need to know what those plans are.”

Andrew, “My father believes that David is going to lose faith in Shaw, and want to leave Gath.”

Silas, “Of course he would. He’s not going to stay there forever.”

Andrew, “My father is encouraging Premier Shaw to make some deal with him, as a way to get him to stay.”

Silas, “And what kind of deal is that?”

Andrew, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Silas sighs and rolls his eyes, “What do you want?”

Andrew, “Exactly what I told you. I want control of the Gilboan operations of CrossGen.”

Silas, “Did William put you up to this?”

Andrew, “No. His coup failed. He’s likely to never return to Gilboa.”

Silas, “What’s he planning? If he’s talking to Shaw, he’s got something up his sleeve.”

Andrew, “I believe he’s still on his quest to see you deposed. I think it’s foolish, but I’ve never had my father’s ambition.”

Silas, “Why are you doing this? Why are you turning on your father?”

Andrew, “Because I’m a selfish little prick who’s only looking out for his self-interest.”

Silas, “Does William know what you’re doing?”

Andrew, “If he did, he’d praise me for it.”

Silas, “What kind of deal is Gerald going to make with Shepherd?”

Andrew, “My father said something about autonomy for the borderlands.”

Silas, impressed, “Damn, that’s a smart move. I’d like to see Shepherd weasel his way out of that one.”

Andrew, “If he has a plan, I’d certainly love to tell you.”

Silas, “CrossGen will remain under state control, but you will be head of operations. That’s the only deal I’m giving you.”

Andrew, “I can live with that.”

Silas, “Good. Now get out of here. I will contact you when I need you, and until then, you will leave me alone, understand?”

Andrew, “Thank you, your majesty.”

  * In the observation room, David and the others look on in wordless horror.



David has to look away, “Do we have to stay here?”

Abby, shaking: “This is in violation of so many international laws!”

Joel: “International laws don’t mean shit in Gath.”

David, “Do we have to stay here?”

Jack, “No. We can leave whenever we want.”

David, “Good. Tomorrow, let’s figure out a plan for how to get the hell out of Gath.”

Everyone packs up and leaves

  * Near the entrance, Shaw is waiting for them, “David, might I speak with you in private?”



David, “Uh, yeah, sure” he looks at the others, “I’ll catch up with you.” The others leave, and

David turns to Shaw, “What do you want?”

Shaw: “I’ve come to appreciate how valuable your allyship has been to Gath.”

David tired, “Yeah, well, I try.”

Shaw, “I don’t want to let it go unpaid.”

David, “What are you gonna give us?”

Shaw smiles, “If you continue to help us, David, I’m willing to offer autonomy to the borderlands.”

David taken aback, “What?”

Shaw, “That’s where your family’s farm is, isn’t it?”

David, “Yeah, it is.”

Shaw smirks, “I think together, you can I could be capable to achieving some truly great things. This is just a place to start.”

David, exasperated, “I- I have had a very long day, sir. I need to think about some things.”


	9. S2, E9: Autonomy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Omfg this is one of my favorite episodes. Some of the hands-down funniest stuff I've ever written. I hope you enjoy, please tell me if you liked it!

**“Autonomy”**

David convenes a meeting and tells everyone about Shaw’s offer, “I can’t possibly say no to this.”

Joel: “It’s a carrot. There’s gotta be a stick he’s hiding somewhere.”

David: “Exactly. I’m scared if I don’t agree to it, the people in the borderlands are gonna pay the price.”

Abby: “I’ve brought it up before, but we need to consider going to other countries.”

David: “Which country, exactly?”

Abby: “Moab.”

Jack: “Are we really _that_ desperate?”

David: “We’re pretty fuckin’ desperate.”

Jack: “When Moab seceded from Samaria, the King of Samaria was relieved because for once the trash had taken itself out. Queen Laura is only queen because she poisoned her husband, and you’ve already been poisoned once!”

Michelle: “Okay, Jack, when we met King Norris, he had more fat in his arteries than either of us could consume in a lifetime. I’m pretty sure Laura didn’t have to poison him. Besides, any old man who marries a woman that young is basically asking to die suspiciously.”

Abby: “In the five years that she’s reigned, Queen Laura has donated more of her personal wealth to philanthropy than any other sitting monarch. She’s peacefully settled a lot of disputes between rival militias and actually brokered peace between a few of them. Moab has resources. It has wealth that Gath doesn’t have. Moab has put men into space. Personally, if I had any sort of choice in which country I ended up in, I would have gone to Moab.”

Asher: “If we go to Moab, we could get a hotel on the beach.”

Jack mutters: “Uncle William is in Moab. If partnering with Moab means partnering with him, I’m fucking leaving.”

David: “I’m with Jack, if a partnership with Moab means partnering with CrossGen, I’m not doing it.”

Abby: “We can negotiate that.”

David sighs heavily: “Not that it matters, anyway. We’re stuck here in Gath until we can get the Borderlands issue resolved. Is there some way we can… just make Shaw want nothing to do with us?”

Abby: “What do you mean?”

David: “If we could get Shaw to no longer trust us, but without being treacherous, like… if we could convince him we’re unreliable, useless, even, and we’ve been incredibly lucky, but we’re not a threat to him.”

Asher: “You want him to think we’re a bunch of idiots.”

David: “Yes! Look, I’ve met with Shaw, talked to him, right? But I haven’t really shown him who I am. What if I can convince Shaw that I’m just a dumb piece of meat that people flock to because I’m hot?”

Jack: “You are hot, babe.”

David: “Thank you, Jack.”

Michelle: “If he thinks you’re an idiot, he’ll throw you out and put Jack in charge.”

David: “What if we’re all idiots? What if Samuels picked us out to do his bidding because we’re all stupid and easily led, and now that Samuels is dead, we’re floundering in our own idiocy?”

Abby: “I can’t act like an idiot. I’m the one who has to negotiate the borderland deal and make sure it doesn’t come with any strings attached.”

David: “No! That’s good! One smart person to tell Shaw that we’re all stupid!”

Abby: “Well, what if Shaw wants me to work for him, then?”

David: “Shit. I dunno. Burn that bridge when we get to it, I guess.”

Jack: “Michelle and I can have lunch with Marlene. It’ll be easy to get her to hate us, all we have to do is act like Mom.”

Joel: “What if he catches on? We can’t all be complete idiots.”

David: “But you could be an angry person who uses politics as an excuse to punch people.”

Joel: “Yeah, I could.”

A big smile spreads over David’s face, “Yeah, we can do this. We just have to be careful, plan everything out. This is gonna work.”

• As David’s leaving the hotel, someone calls out, “David!” David looks over, and sees Doug, one of the army buddies that Jack brought in from the front. (note: he actually does make some appearances in s1 so he’s not just popping up out of nowhere)

David, “Doug! Man!” He and Doug exchange hi-fives. David, “Wow, I- I thought you were staying in Gilboa! Haven’t got many new recruits since the borders closed.”

Doug, “You think I’d fuckin’ stay in Gilboa? Nah, I want to be where the action is. It’s good to see you, man.”

David, “Is Spencer here, too?”

Doug: “Nah, he’s still in Gilboa.”

David: “Shit. Look I can’t talk now, I’ve got a lot of shit to do, but I’m definitely gonna catch up with you later!”

Doug, “Okay, talk to you later.” He watches David as he leaves.

• Reinhardt briefs Silas, “There’s been no reports of surveillance or arrests of any of our remaining operatives in Gath which makes me believe that our spy did her job and didn’t crack.”

Silas, “I don’t care about the other spies, I’m not worried about them. I want to know how Shepherd’s people got ahold of the dead spy. Do you have any information about that?”

Reinhardt, looking defeated, “No.”

Silas, “Why are you not looking into this, Director? It's a major security breach.”

Reinhardt, “I am looking into this, it's just that a proper investigation takes time.”

Silas, “Are there double agents in the MSS, or not, Director?”

Reinhardt, “If there are, they would have been placed there by Reverend Samuels. Shepherd is just the figurehead here, you have to remember that Samuels is the one who made the plan. Frankly, I don’t even know if Shepherd is capable of leading without Samuels.”

Silas, “Do not underestimate what Shepherd is capable of. That’s a mistake someone else can make, but not us.”

Reinhardt, “So what should I do in the meantime, sir?”

Silas, “Do your fucking job!” he rises out of his chair, “I’m going out.”

Reinhardt, “Where are you going?”

Silas, “Out!” He opens the door of his office, “Thomasina, go get Seth, we’re going out!”

• David and Abby sit negotiating with Shaw and his diplomats.

Shaw, “The Borderlands will have its autonomy, but its leader will be chosen by me.”

Abby, “Any leader must be approved by David. We trust you to choose a capable leader, but whoever you choose must be someone who will look out for the borderlands, and not just act as a puppet.”

Shaw, “I accept that. Who, David, do you believe would make a good leader?”

David, “Shit, I dunno. I’d probably say my dad but like… he’s kind of dead,” he thinks for a moment, “Oh! You know who’d be great?! My high school wrestling coach, Coach Hillam! Yeah, he’d be awesome. Taught me how to completely fuck up a guy’s knees!”

Shaw sees something on David’s wrist, “Is that a tattoo?”

David pushes his cuff up, where “DELIVER US FROM EVIL” is tattooed around his wrist, “Yeah, I was thinking about what you said in the cathedral about you know being a king and how a king protects his people and all, and then, there was that our father shit, and the priest said, ‘deliver us from evil’ and I thought… man, that would make a sweet tattoo. So I got it."

• Shaw stands with David and Abby outside the meeting room.

Shaw shakes David’s hand, “I believe this deal will be good for all parties involved.” He turns to Abby, “You are a very adept diplomat, Miss Hatch.”

Abby, “Thank you, Your Excellency.”

David: “Hey, if you think me and Abby are cool, you should see the rest of my guys. They’re really cool.”

Abby: “You should see the training program we’ve set up.”

David: “Yeah, you can’t meet everybody, though. I mean, some people are still in Gilboa. It sucks you can’t meet Monique, she got me into the resistance.” He pulls something up on his phone, “See?”

He shows Shaw a photo of Monique dressed as the Holy Virgin Mother, but instead of holding the baby Jesus, she’s holding a giant, veiny cock.

David: “She’s amaaaaazing! She made our flag!”

• Jack and Michelle have lunch with Marlene Achison-Shaw, the frumpy first lady who Rose has always been a bitch to. Michelle wears a slutty dress and acts like an airhead Paris Hilton type, while Jack does an imitation of Rose with the cold, malicious perfection that only an angry gay son could do.

Marlene, “How have you enjoyed The People’s Hotel?”

Jack, “It’s not quite what we’re used to, but we’re making do as best we can.”

Marlene’s smile grows fake as she recognizes the shade.

Michelle, “But it’s like… a really transformative experience for me, because like, this is it. This is how poor people live! And there’s lots of poor people in Gath! So like… I get it!”

Jack, “See, Marlene, you’ve turned Michelle into a Marxist. Now you can feel like you’ve accomplished something.”

• Isaiah and David take Shaw out to see Isaiah’s bomb making proficiency. He lights off explosives by size and gives them all stupid names and generally acts like a pyromaniac.

One bomb goes off unexpectedly close, causing Shaw to duck, “What in God’s name was that?!”

Isaiah: “Discrete charge that can be dropped anywhere and detonated remotely.”

David: “SWEET!”

Isaiah makes a big deal about showing off his biggest, baddest creation, but when he presses the button it doesn’t go off. “Shit, lemme try again.” It still doesn’t work.

Shaw suggests going onto the next thing.

• Elsewhere on the training grounds, Shay demonstrates a hand-to-hand combat training situation for the Queens of Gilboa. She appears skilled and competent, and Shaw watches with approval. After the lesson is over, Wednesday, now a recruit in training, approaches and asks Shay a question. Shay blatantly stares at Wednesday’s boobs and flirts with her. Wednesday flirts back.

• In a building, Joel talks to Shaw and David, James and Robert grinning like idiots in the background.

Joel, “They’re David’s security team, so I’ve been teaching them how to fight.”

Robert punches James in the face, and then James proceeds to beat the bejeezus out of Robert, in a brotherly fashion.

Joel, “I learned how to fight in prison. Man, I tell you, there is nothing sweeter than hearing the sound of a Nazi’s skull cracking.”

The sound of a distant explosion causes Shaw to jump again.

David: “Sounds like Isaiah got his bomb to work. I hope he wasn’t there when it went off.”

• In the palace firing range, Silas teaches Seth how to shoot. Seth grins widely as his shots hit near the target.

Silas pats him on the back, bursting with pride, “Good shot!”

Back a ways, Reinhardt watches, seething with envy. Thomasina approaches him.

She looks at Silas and Seth, and then says to Reinhardt, “It’s useless, you know. For as much as you connive and conspire, Silas is a family man. He would never choose you over his own son, no matter how perfect you are and how much you please him.”

Reinhardt shoots her a furious look, “I am good at my job!”

Thomasina, “I didn’t say you weren’t.”

• Rose and Helen sit at lunch.

Helen, “I’ve been wanting to sit down and talk to you for a while.”

Rose punches something into her phone, “I’m putting in an order for lobster roles. I hope you’re okay with that.”

Helen, “Well, I’m okay with them, but my deadly shellfish allergy isn’t.”

Rose gives Helen a harsh look.

Helen laughs awkwardly, “I’m kidding! Lobster roles will be wonderful!”

Rose puts down her phone, “Good.”

Helen goes on, “I wanted to speak with you because I’m not sure what my role here in the palace is.”

Rose, “Your role is to be the mother of the new heir. My role as Silas’s wife and queen remain unchanged.”

Helen, looking relieved, “Oh, good, I’m glad. You’re so good at all the royal stuff, and I’d just be absolutely terrible.”

Rose, “Well, thank goodness we can be in agreement on that.”

Helen smiles awkwardly, “I hope we can also agree that Seth, his well-being and happiness, are what’s most important here.”

Rose, “I agree.”

Helen, uneasily, “Well, I think it would be a good idea if you spent some time with him.”

Rose, “I’m not his mother.”

Helen, “I know, but he needs to feel welcome here at the palace.”

Rose, “He is welcome.”

Helen, “He has questions. Questions that I can’t answer.”

Rose, “Why can’t Silas answer them?”

Helen, “They’re about Jack and Michelle, and Silas prefers to act like they don’t exist.”

Rose, “I wouldn’t say anything without consulting Silas first.”

Helen, “Then maybe you can just help him be royal!”

Rose, “That is Silas’s job, not mine.”

The door opens, and a waiter comes in, followed by Thomasina.

Rose, without stopping, “Seth is not my child and he is not my responsibility.”

The waiter sets two lobster roles out in front of Rose and Helen. They all exchange awkward eye contact.

Thomasina, “Ma’am, Florence Duke has been calling you all afternoon. She insists it’s an emergency.”

Rose rises, “I’ll see to it, then.”

Helen, “Don’t you want your sandwich?”

Rose leaves without saying anything.

Helen looks back at Thomasina and the waiter, defeated, “Either of you want a lobster roll?”

Waiter, “I can bring them back, if you like.”

Helen, “I’ll eat mine.”

Thomasina, “Go back to the kitchen.” She sits down in Rose’s place. The waiter leaves.

Thomasina, “You shouldn’t poke at open wounds.” She takes a bite out of her lobster roll, “I don’t know if I can answer some of the big questions for him, but I can tell Seth about Jack and Michelle. He deserves to know what they were like-” she pauses, “What they are like.”

Helen, “Thank you. This is so much more than I thought I could get.”

Thomasina, “It’s nothing.”

• Back at home, Shaw and Marlene talk about the AFG.

Marlene: “The prince and princess are just like their mother. Absolutely horrible.”

Shaw: “Shepherd is up to something. I thought he’d be delighted with the borderlands deal, but this makes me think he doesn’t want it.”

Marlene: “How could he not want it?”

Shaw: “I don’t know!”

There’s a knock at the door, and Abby enters, “Hello, Your Excellency. You called for me?”

Shaw: “Shepherd is up to something. What is it?”

Abby, “Up to, sir?”

Shaw, “He’s planning something. Something that involves making me think he’s an idiot.”

Abby remains convincingly confused, “Have you… ever really spent time with David, sir?”

Shaw, “Every time I’ve spoken to him, he’s always impressed me.”

Abby, “Yeah, that’s the problem. People tend to think he’s smart because he’s good-looking, he’s charming, and he knows how to tell people what they want to hear.”

Shaw, “If Shepherd is stupid, how did he manage to organize an army?”

Abby, “That was Reverend Samuels, sir, and Samuels is dead. David Shepherd is a golden retriever. He means well, and people like him, but he’s easily led, and useless on his own. That’s why Samuels picked him. Every success we’ve had since his death has been just unimaginable luck.”

Shaw, “What are you saying?”

Abby, “We’re lost without Samuels. If you’re thinking of using the AFG for anything, you’ll be lost, too.” Shaw sighs heavily and thinks in silence for a moment.

Abby, with deep sincerity: “I hope this doesn’t affect the borderlands deal.”

Shaw: “The paper is signed. I can’t very well go back on it, can I?”

A brilliant smile breaks over Abby’s face, “So the deal is safe?”

Shaw, “Yes. The Borderlands are autonomous and will remain so.”

Abby, “Well, if you don’t mind, sir, I have to go celebrate with my friends.”

Shaw, “Very well.” Abby gets up to leave.

Shaw: “You’re a very talented negotiator, Miss Hatch.”

Abby, “Thank you, sir.”

Shaw, “I’d be honored to have you as a diplomat for Gath.”

Abby hesitates, “I have to think about that, sir. Good night.”

Shaw, “Good night.”

• David and everyone wait around the bar/stage area of the hotel, which is decorated for a party, complete with kegs and a DJ booth.

David sits talking privately to Doug, “We need to get out of Gath. I’ve got this crazy idea, I don’t know if it’s gonna work, but I’m hoping it will.”

Doug: “If you aren’t going to be in Gath, where are you going to go?”

David: “Abby wants to talk to the queen of Moab, see if she can help us at all. But beyond that, I dunno. It’s impossible to look too far into the future at this point.”

Abby comes hurrying into the hotel.

David stands and greets her, “How’d it go?”

Abby, breathless: “It fucking worked! Time for step two!”

• A party the likes of which Gath has never seen. Asher mans the DJ table, pumping his fists and head-banging while everyone rages and chugs booze. Michelle and Jack boogie together like adorable idiots and spray each other with silly string. Glowsticks and strobe lights spin and flash. Wednesday pole-dances on the bar while Shay cheers appreciatively. Joel and his buddies thrash in the mosh pit.

David, who is shirtless and wearing a plastic crown, Abby, and Isaiah, who is dressed like an alien general from a video game, nervously look out a window that overlooks the entrance of the palace.

David: “It’s not working. Should we make the music louder?”

Abby: “Any louder we’ll all go deaf.”

Isaiah: “I know what to do. Meet me on the roof.”

• On the roof, David shivers and talks to Abby.

Abby: “Shaw wants me as a diplomat.”

David: “Shit. Well, maybe this will work.”

Abby, “I don’t know. I think I have to do something.”

David: “If you want to be a diplomat for Gath, I won’t stop you.”

Abby: “I don’t, that’s the problem! I have to do something that will make Shaw never respect me again.”

David: “Don’t ruin your dignity or reputation for me, okay?”

Abby: “Okay.”

Isaiah appears behind them, his arms crammed with fireworks: “I make these for fun. I’ve been dying to light these babies off for weeks!” He sets up a roman candle and lights it off. He names the chemical responsible for each color, “Strontium carbonate! Calcium chloride! Sodium chloride!”

David: “It’s like chemistry porn!”

• Shaw, asleep next to Marlene in his bed, is awakened by loud booms. Panic-stricken, he runs to his window, and sees fireworks going off over the hotel. “GOD DAMN IT!”

• Abby spots movement at the entrance of the palace, “Oh, shit, its working!” Everyone runs downstairs.

In the bar area, David runs up to Jack, who is also shirtless, wearing tight pants, body glitter, and lots of black eyeliner, “Come on!” They go up on stage.

David grabs two microphones from the DJ station and hands one to Jack. “Hit it!”

• At the front of the hotel, Robert, James, and Ethan guard the door. Shaw and his security men go up to them.

Shaw: “What’s going on in there?!”

James: “Autonomy, man, the people want to celebrate!”

Shaw: “Let me in!”

Ethan: “Yeah we can’t really do that…”

Shaw: “I’m the leader in this country, not Shepherd!” Shaw pushes the brothers out of the way and wrenches the door open.

On stage, David and Jack, arms around each other’s shoulders, scream sing along to “Mr. Brightside.”

Michelle, in a plastic tiara, spins around on a pole and takes a selfie.

Shaw walks into the hotel, and is immediately accosted by Isaiah in full cosplay glory, “Halt, human scum!” Shaw’s security men knock him over and keep going in.

They see Shay, who is making out with Wednesday. She sees them and makes the international sign for cunnilingus.

In the bar area, Abby has a sudden moment of inspiration: “Fuck it. I know what I have to do!” She goes over to the nearest person, who happens to be Doug, “I need to borrow your shoulders!” She proceeds to climb up on his back.

Across the room, Joel talks to one of his friends, “I’m sorry for doing this, but it’s for the greater good!”

Friend: “FUCKING DO IT, MAN!” Joel punches him as hard as he can, knocking him straight into Shaw as he goes into the room.

Jack and David scream sing the chorus and jump up and down in time with the beat. Before the security guys can get to Joel’s friend, he gets right back up on his feet, and brawls with Joel.

Abby points Doug toward Shaw, “Over there, over there!” They stagger over towards Shaw. Abby rips her top off, “TITS OUT FOR BORDERLAND AUTONOMY! WHOOOOOOO!” Doug trips and they both topple over, but not before Shaw gets an eye-full.

Jack and David’s performance reaches its off-key climax, “I’M MR. BRIGHTSIDE!”

Shaw goes over to the DJ table and rips all the wires out. The music stops, grinding the party to a halt with it.

Shaw: “What in god’s name is this?!”

David: “Uh, we’re celebrating borderland autonomy? Thanks to DJ Hillel for the sweet tunes.”

Asher gives a thumbs-up, “Shalom, motherfucker.”

Shaw: “End this party. Now.”

David steps forward, concern and sincerity on his face, “Oh, shit, I didn’t- I’m sorry if I upset you, Your Excellency, I just, the borderlands… That’s my home. I want to do what’s good for it, and when something good happens, I want to celebrate. Because we really haven’t had a whole lot of reasons to. Autonomy under Gath is going to be so much better than anything under Silas. That’s incredible, man! I have something I can hope for, now!”

Shaw eyes David warily.

David: “This… this won’t hurt anyone, will it?”

Shaw: “End the party now, and it won’t. And no more fireworks.” Shaw turns and leaves.

David, “Good night, sir!” The door closes.

Abby (top back on) goes up to David, “He’s seen my tits. He’s never going to look me in the eye again, much less want to work with me.”

David: “Okay. Thanks for your noble sacrifice.”

Jack laughs, and David has to smile, “I think it worked. Let’s all go to bed. We’ll clean this mess up tomorrow.”

• David, Jack, Michelle, Abby, and Doug all strut down a hallway, going to their rooms.

David has his arm confidently slung around Jack’s shoulder, “Mr. Brightside always makes me want to fuck your brains out.”

Michelle: “Can you not say that in front of his sister?!”

Jack laughs, “We should be idiots more often.”

Abby: “Let’s not and say we did.”

They all laugh and go off into their respective rooms, and Doug, alone, goes into his at the end of the hallway. He casts one last glance down the hallway, and then goes into his room.


	10. S2, E10: Welcome to Moab

**“Welcome to Moab”**

Moab tourism video: Queen Laura (dream cast: Caitlin Fitzgerald), blonde, thin, deeply tanned, and dressed like a 70s chic Versace ad, invites us to visit Moab with its sandy beaches, recreation, unique wildlife, vibrant nightlife, and rich arts scene.

  * David, Jack, Michelle, and Abby sitting in a limo, stuck in traffic among endless road construction.



David asks how long they’re going to take, and the driver answers, “A while. Mizpah traffic sucks. If you’re going to meet anyone, you should probably text ‘em and tell ‘em you’re gonna be late.”

Abby, grimacing: “Has Monique arrived, at least?”

David looks at his phone, “Yeah, I just got a text from her. She’s at the palace, waiting for us.”

Michelle, “Ugh, man, I hope I have enough time to get a tattoo.”

David: “You have a tattoo.”

Michelle: “That was Joel giving me a prison tattoo. Mizpah has some of the best tattoo artists in the world. I want to get Joan of Arc on my bicep."

Jack raids the minibar.

David: “Jack, you can’t be drunk when we meet the queen.”

Jack: “I was drunk the first time I met her!”

Abby slams the minibar door shut on his hands.

Jack, “AH! FUCK! What was that?!”

Abby, dead serious: “Do not fuck this up."

  * The Palace of Moab (inspiration: [the Don CeSar hotel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Don_CeSar#/media/File:Don_Cesar.jpg)) looks like a Versace ad: lots of gold, velvet, and marble.



Laura approaches, looking radiant, “Welcome to Moab!”

David shakes her hand, “It’s an honor to meet you, your majesty.”

Laura, “And I am very pleased to meet you, even though you are late. Luckily Miss Broadnax and I are getting on like old friends. There’s a reporter and a photographer here from _Elite_ magazine. They want to interview you all for a profile on the Army of Free Gilboa.”

David, “Oh, geez, really? I wasn’t really planning on that. I’m not sure if…”

Monique interrupts, “We’ll be more than happy to grant any interview.”

David: “What?”

Monique: “A profile in _Elite_ can make or end a political career. It creates interest outside of Gilboa. We can get all kinds of support if we look good in _Elite_.”

David: “Okay.”

Abby: “This is a diplomatic trip, we’re here to discuss very important issues.”

Monique: “And we will discuss these issues while getting our picture taken. Image is important, too.”

David: “I’m with Monique on this one. A big profile like that means legitimacy.”

Laura: “I’ll gladly pay any extra expenses for extending your visit by one more day.”

Michelle, thrilled, “Yes! Let’s do it!”

David: “Sure.”

  * David is prepped for a photoshoot. Monique fusses over the details while David gets coiffed.



David: “Where’s Jack and Michelle? They’re used to this.”

Monique: “Michelle booked it for a tattoo parlor the moment you agreed to do this. I think she dragged Jack off with her.”

David is posed in front of the camera. He tries a few different poses, and is ridiculously handsome and charming.

His phone buzzes, and he checks it, “Oh, my brothers are finally here! Let them in, I’ll take a picture with them.”

Robert, James, and Ethan come in, put David in a brotherly headlock, and noogie the shit out of him while the photographer snaps pictures.

  * Later, David gives his interview, “People keep putting me at the head of things, but I haven’t done much. Reverend Samuels organized everyone. Asher Levinson has kept those networks going. Shay Mendoza, Isaiah Clemens, and Joel Bronikov did the prison break. The borderlands deal, that was all Abigail Hatch’s doing. Monique Broadnax is the one out there risking her life every day by staying in Shiloh. All I’ve really done is… survive. And maybe give some speeches.”



  * Michelle gets a portrait of Joan of Arc tattooed on her bicep. Jack admires the matching sun/moon, Apollo/Artemis tattoos they just got.



Reporter: “Does that hurt?”

Michelle: “Having my ribs cracked open, my heart cut out and a new one put in hurt worse.”

Reporter: “What made you decide to not only leave your father and the safety of home, but to take up arms against it?”

Jack: “I never had the luxury of safety at home. I don’t know what was worse, living with my father, or living with his expectations for me. He wanted me to cut weakness out of myself, and so I cut, and I cut, and I cut, until there was nothing left of me. I escaped with my soul intact. I don’t know if you can say the same thing about my father.”

Reporter: “Do you worry about your little brother, Seth?”

Jack: “Of course I fucking do. But Michelle and I have never met him. We learned about his existence along with the rest of Gilboa.”

Reporter: “Your father is undoubtedly going to read this. Is there anything you’d like to say to him?”

Jack, after a long, thoughtful pause, “I have things that I want to say to him, yeah. I could scream at him all day, and I wouldn’t be close to being done. I guess there is some wisdom in getting rid of the things that make you weak, but not in the way my father thinks of it. All the anger and hurt that I have inside me, in the end, it only hurts me. So I have to let it go. I have to let him go. And so I have nothing to say to my father.”

Reporter: “Michelle, is there anything you would say to your father?”

Michelle: “Fuck you, Silas. I’ve already told him everything I need to tell him. He knows exactly what I think of him.”

  * The others are photographed as their role in the AFG: Abby, the diplomat, holding an AFG flag. Asher, the man of God. Shay, the warrior, kicking the head off of a dummy. Joel, the outlaw, holding _Anarchism and Other Essays_ by Emma Goldman. Monique: the artist, in her finest drag.



Isaiah, the technician, wearing goggles and a respirator to hide his identity, “Why do I have to hide my face again?”

Monique: “You’re a dangerous bomb maker, and staying anonymous makes you even more dangerous.”

Isaiah: “My thesis and my dissertation were both on explosives and bomb making. It’s not gonna be hard to figure out who I am.”

Monique: “That’s beside the point! Anonymity is sexy!”

  * In Gilboa, Andrew sits at his computer. On the screen is GoDateYourself.com, a dating website. Andrew clicks “create profile.” He uploads a joyless picture of himself, and enters his information: Name: Andrew Cross, Age: 24, Sex: Male, Orientation: straight. In his “About me” section he types in, “I am very rich.” he presses upload, and the profile gets made. Andrew stares at it for a second, and immediately, responses begin to ding in his inbox.



  * Laura and David sit in the back of Laura’s personal limo.



Laura: “Tell me why you want to be king, David.”

David: “I don’t. I really don’t. It’s just… somebody has to take the lead and I kind of fell into it.”

Laura: “Moab has no real political ties to Gilboa. We don’t share a border or any direct trade routes. I have no real practical reason at all to help you or the Army of Free Gilboa. But Silas is an asshole and I’ve never liked him.”

David: “Seriously? So you’re gonna help us because he was rude to you?”

Laura: “No. I’m sympathetic to your cause. My husband was a rich and powerful gangster, and I was a poor, young, single mother craving stability. I knew Norris was ambitious, but I never realized just how ambitious he was until he assassinated the king before him and took the crown. I saw his corruption, and how he oppressed the people of Moab. Since his death, I’ve done my best to try to undo the damage he’s done. I know you’re trying to do the same thing, but no one is expecting Silas to keel over from a heart attack soon. He has to be overthrown.”

David: “I want to make Gilboa free. That’s really all I want to do. But I guess that does mean overthrowing Silas.”

Laura: “You can’t do that from another country. Trying to overthrow Silas from Gath is like throwing pebbles at a brick wall.”

David: “Yeah, I know. But what am I gonna do? I was thrust into this without being given a plan, and I still don’t know what exactly it is I’m supposed to be doing.”

Laura: “What kind of king do you want to be, David?”

David: “What? I… I dunno. A good one.” The limo pulls to a stop.

Laura: “I want to show you something.”

Laura opens the door, and she and David step out into a neat, well-planned housing complex. It’s bright and cheery and clean, and children happily play out front.

Laura smiles proudly, “Over a hundred families live here. Before this was built, they were all homeless. There’s a school and a hospital nearby. Under my husband, the money would have been spent on tanks and guns. At some point, someone has to choose to stop fighting. There are dozens of complexes like this being built across Mizpah. With any luck, I’ll soon start building all across Moab.”

David looks around, impressed and inspired.

Laura: “Kings spend so much time destroying that they forget that they can create, too. They just have to choose it.”

  * In their room, David and Jack get ready for dinner.



David, “After dinner, Monique’s gonna perform at this big gay cabaret. You haven’t seen her act before, have you?”

Jack, “Nope.”

David, “It’s really cool, even when it’s just in some dingy warehouse. She’s gonna be amazing on a real stage.”

There’s a knock at the door, and David answers.

William stands on the other side of the door, smiling like the evil motherfucker he is, “David! Fancy running into you here.”

Jack looks over, sees his uncle, and freezes.

David: “We gave security specific instructions not to let you in!”

William: “Nothing a few hundos to the right doorman couldn’t fix. I heard you’re building an army. You need arms, and I sell arms. We should do business.”

David: “I’m calling my security team!”

William: “Not a problem! I just wanted to see if you really are still alive and not just some elaborate hoax put on by Gath. I guess if Jack’s with you, you must be real. Whether or not your army’s real remains to be seen. Hi, Jack!” He waves back at him, and then says to David, “Well, if I can’t rely on him as a nephew, at least you can rely on him as a fuck toy.”

David takes a swing at him, but William dodges, “No need to get angry!"

James and Robert show up, “It’s time for you to leave, buddy.”

They begin to lead him away, but William laughs, “Aren’t you even going to thank me for saving your life? You know you wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t given Samuels everything he needed to rescue you!”

David slams the door shut, “Fucking security! I knew I should have put my brothers out front!”

Jack stands frozen where he is.

David goes over and puts a hand on his shoulder, “Hey, are you all right?”

Jack animates again, but his eyes remain unfocused and away from David, “Yeah. Let’s go to dinner.”

  * At dinner, Laura introduces her biracial teenage son, “I would like you to meet my son, Prince Steven.”



Steven, “I’ve followed your story closely, it’s a real honor to meet you.”

David, “It’s an honor to meet you. You’ve met Jack and Michelle before, haven’t you?”

Steven, “Yeah, it’s good to see both of you again.”

Michelle, “We’re very glad to be here.”

Jack doesn’t say anything, remaining distant and detached from everyone around him.

Laura, “We should be seated.”

Michelle, “Can you give us a moment? I need to speak to David privately.” Laura and Steven go off.

Michelle pulls David aside, out of view of Jack, and says, very calmly, “What happened? Why is Jack acting the way he’s acting?”

David, “William showed up.”

Michelle, “Get Jack out of here, now.”

David: “It’s a state dinner! I can’t just leave!”

Michelle: “I know that blank look in Jack’s eyes. It’s how he gets whenever Silas lays into him, and it never ends well. If he’s lucky, he just gets his ass kicked in a fight or, he fucks some stranger in a nasty bathroom, but…” she takes in a deep breath, “Once, he had this huge fight with Silas, and then later that night he wrapped a Ferrari around a telephone pole. Broke his arm. The press tore him apart. He insisted it was an accident, but then… It happened again. And then there was an overdose, and then…” her voice trails off and she shakes her head, “We need to leave. We need to get Jack somewhere we can talk him through this.”

David: “All right, I’ll ask Abby what to do, but you get Jack back to our room okay?”

Before leaving, Michelle grabs his sleeve, “Stay calm, if you freak out, he’ll freak out.”

Out in the dining hall, David talks to Abby, “I need to leave.”

Abby: “What? Why?!”

David: “It’s something personal, I can’t explain it right now.”

Abby: “Oooooh, no, you cannot fucking leave!”

David: “There’s got to be some kind of protocol.”

Abby: “No, there isn’t. Kings have barfed at state dinners because it’s less rude to show up with the flu than it is to back out at the last minute.”

Across the room, Michelle gently approaches Jack, “Hey, Jack? Are you all right?”

Jack: “I’m fine.”

Michelle: “Listen, I’m gonna take you back to your room, okay?”

Jack: “Why?”

Michelle: “I can tell you’re upset about something.”

Jack, his anger flaring: “I’m fucking fine, leave me alone!”

Across the room, David: “It’s Jack.”

Abby: “It’s a state dinner! And we still have to see Monique perform after this!”

David hears Jack snap at Michelle, and says, “I’m sorry, Abby, you’re good at your job, just fix this for me!” He hurries over, “Jack, are you okay?”

Jack: “I’m fucking fine, I just want to have dinner!”

David gently puts his hands on Jack’s shoulders, and says, calmly but with authority, “We’re going back to the room. Come on.”

David, Michelle, and Jack leave, and Laura sees them leaving.

Abby approaches, “Something came up, David can’t join us for dinner.”

Laura looks on in disappointment, “Oh, what a shame.”

  * In their room, Jack sits on the bed while Michelle sits next to him, and David kneels in front of him.



David touches his face and speaks quietly, “Jack, are you all right?”

Jack refuses to look him in the eye.

David, “Jack, look at me. Come on, just look at me. Jack.”

Jack looks David in the eye.

David, “It’s okay. It’s only me and Michelle here.”

Jack’s breath begins to shake, “It’s a fucking state dinner, you shouldn’t have pulled me out! I’m not so weak I couldn’t hold my shit together through a fucking dinner party!”

David: “It’s okay. You’re allowed to be angry.”

Jack continues to breathe heavily for a few moments.

David: “Tell me what’s wrong, Jack.”

Jack, rushed and furious: “He left me to die!”

David doesn’t quite know what to say.

Jack: “You should have fucking killed him! He knew exactly what Dad was going to do to me after the coup failed, and he just left me there!” David hugs him, and Jack starts to cry, “I spent five days, locked in a cell, thinking that you were dead and I was completely alone. The only reason I didn’t kill myself is because there was nothing in there I could do it with!” He sobs into David’s shoulder.

Michelle leans in and hugs him, “Jack, the only people here right now are people who love you.”

  * Later, empty dinner plates are stacked on a cart.



Jack has calmed down, “I’m sorry about ruining the dinner.”

David: “It’s okay. I put Abby in charge, she knows how to handle everything.”

Jack: “Is it too late to go to Monique’s performance? I really wanted to see that.”

David smiles.

  * Andrew sits in a fancy restaurant across from Chloe, a very pretty, blonde, and boob-y girl.



Chloe, “So, do you like sushi?”

Andrew, “Yes. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have invited you to a sushi restaurant.”

Chloe, "I like sushi, too.”

Andrew sighs, annoyed, “Look, Chloe, I’m not very good at small talk, to I’m going to get to the point. Since I acquired the Gilboan operations of my family’s company, I need to move on to the next part of my life, which means I need to get married. I picked you out because I think you are very attractive, and your family history has no known hereditary illnesses or signs of infertility. I need a wife who will provide me with a son that I can pass the business on to, especially since my cousins seem to have forsaken the whole viable reproduction thing. We’ll probably get divorced after that, but I’ll make sure you are well-provided for,” he reaches into his pocket, and reveals an enormous diamond ring in a grey velvet box, “Can you do that?”

Chloe looks at the ring for a moment, and then says brightly, “Okay!”

  * Big, fancy gay cabaret, The Flaming Flamingo, completely unimaginable in Gilboa. David has to look around in awe as he, Jack, and Michelle are led to a table where Abby sits with everyone.



Abby, pissed off, “Oh, you show up for this.”

David, “Do me a favor and just let it go. I had something that was more important.”

Abby looks over and sees Michelle talking reassuringly to Jack, “Just don’t ever do that to me again, okay? I managed to keep Laura happy, but she happens to be a decent person who actually fucking likes you. Try that shit on any other king, you’d start a war.”

The performance starts, and another queen introduces Monique, “The PRIDE of Gilboa, Miss Monique Magnifique!”

Monique comes onstage wearing an enormous glittering gold cape. She removes the cape with a flourish to reveal a navy-blue gown with three gold stars on the waist. David cheers and whistles. Monique looks around at the spectacular club around her, and everyone cheering for her, and soaks it all in.

She stands on the stage for an awkward amount of time, tearing up, “Please, you’ll have to excuse me for a moment, I… I’ve never performed in a place like this. In Gilboa, conformity and heteronormity are the law of the land, and I can’t perform out in the open. To just be here, in a club that’s operating legally, that has a beautiful stage, and hundreds of people to come see a performance without fear of arrest… it’s astounding. I’ve spent so many nights dreaming of places like this, and to see it… it’s beautiful! I come here tonight on behalf of the Army of Free Gilboa and our leader, David Shepherd. I’m here on behalf of the dream of seeing a gay club operating out in the open in downtown Shiloh, where no one will face hatred and persecution for who they are and who they love! I will fight for this! I will survive!” Standing ovation from the audience. Monique begins to sing, “I will survive! As long as I know how to love I know I’ll stay alive, I’ve got all my life to live, and I’ve got all my love to give, and I’ll survive! I will survive! I will survive!”

David has to wipe away tears, but still gives a hearty, “YAAAAAAAS!”

  * David and Jack lay asleep in bed. The door suddenly opens and security men rush in, “Sir, we have to get you to another location!”



David groggily raises his head, “What?”

Security guy: “The palace has been breached, you need to come with us!”

David and Jack, both in their robes, follow security into an underground safe room where Laura, Steven, and everyone else wait, all in their pajamas.

David: “What the hell is going on?” Laura: “It’s a security breach. We may be in here for a while.”

David: “How long?” The sound of gunfire.

Laura, “A while.”

David and Jack sit together. David puts his arm around Jack and quietly speaks to him, “Are you all right?”

Jack: “Yeah. I’ve done this before. It happened every once and a while back home.”

David sighs, “Tell me if you need anything.”

Jack puts his head on David’s shoulder and shuts his eyes. David kisses his forehead. Laura eyes them, her expression inscrutable. More gunfire.

  * Later, David is woken up by security people entering the safe room. “The situation is resolved. You can all go back to your rooms.”



David gets up, helps Jack up, and begins to leave, but Laura stops him, “David, I’d like you to come with me.” David, still groggy, follows her.

They go down a hallway, and then come upon six bloody, bullet-riddled bodies lying in a row. David jolts awake.

A security guy: “CWM, ma’am. We got all of them. There was also a truck full of bombs outside the palace. It’s been defused.”

Laura: “Thank you. You’ve done an exceptional job.”

Security guy: “You’re welcome, ma’am.”

Laura looks at David, “The Christian Wolves of Mizpah. They’ve breached the palace before, but never this many.”

David, “What the fuck.”

Laura: “The club you went to this evening? After you left my dinner? It’s not the original. The original was bombed by them, six people died. They’ve also attacked women’s health centers, mosques, synagogues. This is just one militia that I’ve been trying to put down.”

David, exasperated, “Fuuuck.”

Laura: “I’m assuming groups like this are why you didn’t tell me about your relationship with Jack Benjamin.”

David: “What? I… yeah.”

Laura: “It’s wise to be discrete, then. You were also wise to leave the dinner and tend to him. When you’re constantly under attack, it’s the people who love you who keep you strong.”

David stares at the bodies on the floor.

Laura: “Go to bed. You need your sleep.”

  * Conference room, the next day, everyone is there, tired from lack of sleep. Laura looks as fresh as always.



Laura: “I want to help you. But you must understand that my resources are stretched extremely thin. I can’t give you much in terms of material support, but I can offer refuge to anyone who needs it. Anyone you want to keep safe is welcome here in Moab.”

David: “Thank you. That’s an enormous help.”

Shay: “In terms of material support, what can you offer us?”

Jack, interrupting: “Is any of it going to come from CrossGen? Because we won’t accept anything from them.”

Laura: “CrossGen is our primary weapons manufacturer.”

Jack: “End your contracts with them. William Cross isn’t fucking here to help. He’s evil and he wants his own empire. He’ll overthrow you the moment you piss him off.”

Laura: “Which is exactly why I can’t end my contracts with him. If he’s not supporting me, he’s supporting the Christian Wolves of Mizpah. Either way, they’re the only weapons manufacturer with an output sufficient to keep my military armed.”

David: “The sanctuary is enough help. You don’t have to give us anything else.”

Laura: “I can offer you a satellite that will give you a communications network that can’t be hacked or interfered with by any of Silas’s men.”

David’s jaw drops, “Are you serious?”

Laura: “What’s the point of a space program if you can’t use it to help your friends?” Everyone smiles and looks around in happy agreement. Laura goes on, "What’s your plan for when you leave here, David?”

David’s eyes go from face to face, hesitantly, “It’s not the most solid plan, but it’s time to leave Gath, and we have nowhere else to go but back into Gilboa. It’s the only place we can really fight.”

Laura: “Have you considered going to Ammon?”

David: “Ammon? That’s like… like going from the frying pan and into the fire, and then from the fire straight into hell. If King Silas is, like you said, an asshole, then King Warner is… I don’t even know what he is.”

Laura smiles slyly, “Ammon never recognized the secession of Carmel, and it has never recognized the annexation of Carmel by Gilboa. Warner’s been desperate to get Carmel back ever since. War is coming between Gath and Gilboa again. It’s inevitable at this point. Once that war begins, if you can get across the border at Carmel, Silas’s army will attack the border, and Ammon will declare war. With Silas trying to fight two wars at once, he’ll be easy to take out.”

David: “What? No, I- I’m not going to start two wars. Never-ending war is why I’m trying to overthrow Silas in the first place, I- I lost my dad and my brother in a war, I’m not going to start two more!”

Laura: “Do you want a free Gilboa, or do you want peace? Because right now, you have peace, and you don’t have to do a thing.”

David: “There has to be some other way. All it takes to end Silas’s regime is a single bullet.”

Laura: “In which case Caesar Reinhardt takes over until Prince Seth is old enough to rule.”

David: “I can’t fight Silas by becoming Silas!”

Laura: “I’m not leading your army, David, you are. Whatever happens next is entirely your choice. History is waiting. But I will warn you: it’s gonna to get a lot fuckin’ worse before it gets any better.”


	11. S2, E11: I Am Not Afraid

**“I Am Not Afraid”**

The latest edition of _Elite_ magazine lands on Silas’s desk: David is on the cover, looking dignified and ridiculously handsome, with the headline “ _Portrait of a Rebellion_.”

Silas: “The fuck is this?”

Thomasina: “It’s this month’s issue of _Elite_ , sir. There’s an extensive profile of David Shepherd and what he’s calling The Army of Free Gilboa.”

Silas: “So they’re an army, now?”

Silas opens the magazine to a close-up of David, looking even more ridiculously handsome. Headline: “ _Can David Shepherd bring change to Gilboa_?” Silas flips the page to the portrait of Jack and Michelle. Michelle has one arm around Jack’s shoulder, the other draped over a medic’s kit. Her new tattoos are plainly visible.

Silas: “What the fuck has he done with my daughter?!”

Thomasina: “Her exact words were, I’m not a princess anymore, I can do whatever the fuck I want.”

Silas: “Does she want to be a lesbian?”

Thomasina: “It would do you well to read the article in private, sir. Jack has quite a bit to say about you. As does Shepherd, and who they’re calling his officers.”

Silas: “Officers?” He flips the page, revealing the portrait of Abby, “Abigail Hatch. Her father is one of my best officers. At least I’m not the only one with traitors for children.”

Thomasina: “Should I give you some privacy, sir?”

Silas: “Rose doesn’t see this.”

Thomasina: “Queen Rose reads _Elite_ religiously, she’ll be expecting this month’s edition.”

Silas: “Rose doesn’t see this.”

Thomasina: “Yes, sir.”

Silas: “You may leave.”

Thomasina leaves. Silas flips back to the picture of Jack and Michelle. He stares at it for a few moments, and then furiously flings the magazine away.

  * At the Shepherd farm, Jessie opens the front door as a large black SUV drives up. David gets out followed by Robert, James and Ethan.



Jessie goes over and hugs David, “Where’s Jack?”

David: “Back in the city. We’ve got some major plans underway, and Jack is helping sort everything out.”

Jessie: “Oh, shame, I was hoping to see him. I suddenly have yet another boy I need to worry about.”

David: “Let’s go inside. I have something to show you.”

  * Inside, David presents Jessie with an issue of _Elite_ with him on the cover.



Jessie’s jaw falls open, “No!”

David: “We spent an extra day in Moab taking pictures and giving interviews. I guess people are interested.”

Jessie looks at the magazine, tears in her eyes, “I can’t believe how handsome you look here! You look like a king!”

David: “Well, looking like something and being something are two different things.”

Jessie flips through the magazine, “Oh, this is incredible, just incredible!” She stops on the picture of Robert, James, and Ethan giving David noogies (somehow, even in a headlock, David still manages to look ridiculously handsome), and laughs heartily, “Oh, you boys!”

James: “Hey, we still gotta make it known he’s the little brother, right?” The bros all laugh and voice their approval.

David’s tone becomes more serious, “Listen, Mom, I came here because I’ve got to talk to you about something pretty serious.”

Jessie looks up, worried, “What?”

David: “There’s gonna be another war between Gath and Gilboa, and the borderlands are going to be caught in the middle of it all. On top of that, I’m moving the AFG into Gilboa, where we can fight Silas better.”

Jessie: “So, what does that mean?”

David: “When I met with Queen Laura, she wasn’t able to give us very much material support, but she did offer sanctuary to anyone I want to keep safe. I think you should leave the farm and go to Moab.”

Jessie: “I can’t do that. Who will take care of the farm?”

David, “Arthur can do that,”

Jessie, “It’s a lot of work.”

David, “Or we can just halt production for however long it takes. Your life is more important than the farm, Mom.”

Jessie, “Oh, David…”

He goes on, “Laura is going to provide you with a really nice condo on the beach and a generous monthly allowance to pay for everything you need. This is what people do when they win the lottery, Mom.”

Jessie: “This isn’t winning the lottery!”

David: “If Gilboa regains control of the borderlands, Silas will come after you. He’s used hurting and killing family members to punish his enemies before, and he’ll do it again.”

Jessie cries and shakes her head, “I need to think about this. I want to visit your father and Eli.”

  * In Shiloh, Rose drops by Silas’s office and says something about needing a guest list for a dinner next week.



Rose: “Also, I’m afraid our mail may be being tampered with again, this month’s edition of _Elite_ hasn’t come yet, and it’s come on the fifteenth of the month every month since you were crowned.”

Silas: “I’ll have Thomasina look into it.” Rose turns to leave, but Silas stops her, “About _Elite_.”

Rose, “Yes?”

Silas hesitates for a moment, but then says, “I read something in last month’s issue, it’s French, can you recognize it?”

Rose, “What?”

Silas, “ _Je n’ai peur. J’ai Dieu, mon Signeur. C’est cela que je fus nais_.”

Rose smiles, “The famous words of Joan of Arc. It’s an incorrect quote, but she did say something close to it. It’s usually translated as, ‘I am not afraid. God is with me. I was born for this.’”

Silas smiles, sadly, “Thank you.”

  * Helen walks a very excited Seth to a park near the palace, accompanied by security guards. Seth jumps up and down as he pulls Helen forward.



Helen, “Don’t wear yourself out before you get there! You want to make some friends, remember? You can’t make friends if you’re too tired to play with them.”

Seth: “I know, I know! I’m just excited I can run around outside again!”

At the park, Helen introduces Seth to a group of boys his age, “This is Seth, and he’s new to the city. Can he play with you guys?”

The other kids welcome Seth, and Helen smiles and looks on. She goes to a nearby newsstand to buy coffee. The new issue of _Elite_ is on the magazine rack. Helen sees it and picks it up. She buys it with a cup of coffee and sits down next to the other moms. She opens the magazine to the inside picture of David.

The mom next to her says, “Oh, look, she’s reading it, too!”

Helen looks up, and several of the other moms are holding the same magazine. Helen smiles politely, “Yes, it’s quite interesting.”

The mom next to her laughs, “I’m not political, but I certainly wouldn’t mind looking at David Shepherd’s face every day.”

Another mom adds, “If he’s going to be king, I’ll be one of his concubines!”

Helen keeps the fake smile on her face. She flips the page, and sees the picture of Jack and Michelle. Her eyebrows knit in concern.

  * The Shepherds drive through downtown Bethlehem, which has a large Gath army presence. Later, the black SUV drives down the lane of a country cemetery. It pulls to a stop, and the Shepherds get out. The approach two graves, side by side: their father, and Eli, with two orange butterfly flags planted in the ground.



Jessie: “We bought the plot right there so we could bury you in it. I’m glad we didn’t have to,” she hugs David’s arm, “I come here at least once a week. I know they’re both gone, but here I feel at least a little bit closer to them.”

David goes up to Eli’s grave. He takes the Benjamin flag and replaces it with an AFG flag. He does the same at his father’s grave. Everyone stands and watches the flags flutter.

Jessie: “I don’t want to leave here.”

David: “I know, Mom. But I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few months, and if I can just know that you’re safe… It will make my job, whatever that is, a lot easier.”

Jessie, “What about Sean? He’s in the army! Is he going to end up fighting you?!”

David, “I don’t know.”

Jessie, “Can you get him to Moab?”

David, “I…. probably not. I think his best option is just going to be staying in Gilboa.”

Jessie wipes away tears, “If I leave and I want to come back, can I?”

David: “Of course you can.”

Jessie: “I still need to think.”

Everyone gets back into the car. As they leave to pull out of the cemetery, a line of Goliaths comes driving up the road. David steps out of the car and watches them pass. He gets back into the car.

Jessie, “I’ll go to Moab. I’m not going to cause you any more problems than you already have. Just promise me, one day, I’ll be able to come back home.”

David: “I promise.”

  * Rose sits in her office, looking at interior design plans. The speaker buzzes, and a secretary’s voice says, “Andrew Cross is here to see you, ma’am.”



Rose rolls her eyes, “Let him in.”

Andrew enters, “Good afternoon, Aunt Rose.”

Rose, “What do you want?”

Andrew sits down, “Considering that I haven’t spoken to you since certain events transpired, I thought I should take the time to do so.”

Rose, “I’m busy today, so if you want to say anything, please just say it.”

Andrew, “I’m getting married.”

Rose laughs derisively., “You’re what?”

Andrew, “I’m getting married to a lovely girl named Chloe. Since my father can’t be at the wedding, I’m inviting you to represent the Cross family there.”

Rose, “What are you doing, Andrew?”

Andrew, “Since I’ve acquired the Gilboan operations of CrossGen, I believe it’s time that I move on to the next stage of my life. And besides, The Cross family needs an heir. We don’t happen to have any extra children that we can just pull out of hiding.”

Rose gives him a dirty look and the sighs, “If this is what you truly want, then I won’t say anything. Even if I did object, I can’t stop you. But perhaps you should take this girl on a few dates before you commit to marriage.”

Andrew, “I’ve been frank with Chloe. I laid out for her exactly what I intend to use her for, and she accepts it. I don’t want to create delusions of a romance. That was the mistake my father made.”

Rose, “Have you told your father about this?”

Andrew, “Not yet, but I will.”

Rose, “Before you speak to him, I would like you to do one thing.”

Andrew, “Yes?”

Rose, “Ask yourself, truly ask yourself, is this what you really want, or is this what your father has told you that you want?”

Andrew glances away, silent for a moment.

Rose, “You can have anything, Andrew. Try to choose what will make you happy.”

Andrew glances back at Rose.

She smiles gently, “A life without love is a very lonely life.”

Andrew, suddenly snarling, “But not so terrible that you didn’t hesitate to condemn Jack to it.”

The kindness leaves Rose’s face, “The Cross family is not the royal family of Gilboa, no matter how badly my brother wishes it were. It can grant more allowances than the Benjamin family can. If getting married will make you happy, then I welcome it, and I will be at your wedding. But William is a miserable son of a bitch who left you behind to get arrested. It’s a mistake to believe he is worth pleasing.”

Andrew, “I’ll send you an invitation, then. It’s a shame my cousins won’t be able to attend.” He gets up and leaves.

When the door closes, Rose sniffs angrily for a moment, overcome with anger, but then she composes herself. She gets up and leaves her office.

Outside, Helen walks down a hallway of the palace, holding her copy of _Elite_. Rose approaches and the two make eye contact.

Rose looks down, and spots the magazine in Helen’s hands, “There it is! You took it!” Rose grabs the magazine.

Helen: “What? I bought that at a newsstand!”

Rose: “Then why is my copy missing?!”

Rose looks down at the cover and sees David. Her expression goes stone cold, and she stares at the cover for a few moments. She opens the pages, and flicks through to the picture of Jack and Michelle. Her posture stiffens in outrage, but she remains outwardly calm.

She looks up at Helen, “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Helen, “Enjoying what?”

Rose: “You read everything they had to say about me, didn’t you?”

Helen: “I was reading about the person who wants to overthrow the father of my child. Jack and Michelle are interviewed, but they don’t mention you at all.”

Rose glares at Helen.

Helen: “If you’ll excuse me, I need to speak with Silas.” Helen takes her copy of the magazine from Rose, and leaves.

  * Helen heads towards Silas’s office. His secretary stops her.



Helen: “I need to talk to Silas.”

Secretary: “He’s got very important meetings all day.”

Helen: “Tell him it’s about Seth, and it’s urgent.”

The secretary nervously does as Helen tells her.

Silas immediately comes out of his office, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Helen: “I wanted to tell you that Seth and I went to the park this morning, and we had a lovely time.”

Silas: “Is there anything wrong with Seth?”

Helen, “No.”

Silas, “Then why did you call me? I have a very important address to make tonight.”

Helen holds up the magazine, “I need to talk to you about this.”

Silas shakes his head, “Not now.”

Helen, “Yes, now, because otherwise we’ll never talk about it.”

Silas sighs heavily and gestures her into his office. Inside, Abner and several other officers sit.

Silas: “Would you please excuse me for a moment, gentlemen, I have a personal issue to discuss with Helen.”

Helen steps in, holding the magazine. The men get up and move to leave.

One officer sees the magazine, and says to another, “Oh, Hatch, isn’t your daughter in that magazine?” They close the door behind them.

Silas: “How much of the article have you read?”

Helen: “All of it.”

Silas: “It’s all propaganda. Shepherd has this way of dazzling people that’s damn inhuman. I’ll show the world how terrific he is once he no longer has Gerald to hide behind.”

Helen: “I’m not concerned about David. I want to talk to you about Jack and Michelle.”

Silas’s temper begins to flare, “There’s nothing to say about Jack and Michelle!”

Helen: “Why did they leave? I know it wasn’t just David.”

Silas looks at Helen for a moment, and sadness comes over him, “Jack is my greatest failure. I’ll admit to that. I did everything in my power to make him strong enough to be able to make the sacrifices that a king must make, the kind of sacrifices I had to make, but he was weak. I take full responsibility for what happened with him, but, at the same time… I really don’t know where I went wrong. My father used to beat the living shit out of me. I never laid a finger on Jack. He has no reason to call me cruel. The only answer that I keep coming to is that he was weak, and perhaps it’s better now that he won’t be king. As for Michelle,” Silas’s breath shakes, and he sinks deeper into sadness, “I shouldn’t have lied to her. But I don’t understand, at all, why she left,” Silas chokes up, “She’s my little girl, and she broke my heart.”

Helen looks at Silas, deep sympathy in her eyes, “You can’t do to Seth whatever it is you did to Jack and Michelle.”

Silas, sheepishly, “I know.”

Helen: “You have to tell Seth that you love him, and that you’re proud of him, even when you think he could be doing better.”

Silas: “I will. I promise you, I will.”

  * At the airport, David and the bros are helping Jessie get her bags checked.



David, “All right, Mom, Queen Laura herself is going to meet you at the airport.”

Jessie: “Oh, no, tell her she doesn’t have to, I’m not that important!”

David: “Hey, you’re pretty damn important to me."

Jessie sighs nervously, “I’ve never been so far away from home before.”

David: “First time for everything, Mom.”

Jessie looks at David adoringly, “I know, baby, I know.”

Jack arrives, “Hey, David said you wanted to see me before you left.”

Jessie, “I did! I’ve found myself thinking about you so much since you visited. I suddenly have another boy to worry about.”

Jack blushes, he loves being fussed over, “I’m fine. I can look after myself.”

Jessie: “Take care of David for me, will you?”

Jack, “Of course I will!”

Jessie takes Jack’s hands, “Taking care of someone else is the hardest job in the world. It takes more strength and bravery than anything else. I’ve done the job of taking care of David so far, and now it’s your turn.”

Jack smiles, “I don’t know if I’m as good as you, but I promise I’ll do my best.”

Jessie gives Jack a tight hug, “Thank you. I trust you’ll do a good job.”

She turns to say goodbye to David and her boys. She hugs them all without saying anything, tears in her eyes.

David: “Mom, please, whatever happens, I just want you to be happy, and to not worry about me. All I’m going to be doing from here on out is what I believe God wants me to be doing. I’m just trying to do the right thing.”

Jessie: “I’m so proud of you. And I love you so much.”

David, a tear falling down his face, “I love you, too, Mom.”

Jessie: “I put my faith in God’s hands. He’ll keep you safe.”

David: “I hope so.”

  * In Shiloh, Silas has dinner with Helen, Seth, and Rose. Seth excitedly tells Silas about his day, and Silas listens intently, happily interacting with his son. Rose watches on with cold detachment. Silas tells a joke and Seth laughs out loud.



Rose stands up, “I have to leave.”

She turns and leaves, and Silas calls, “Rose!” He turns to Helen and Seth, “I’m sorry. I’ll take care of this.”

In another room, Rose sits, sobbing.

Silas sits beside her, gently touching her arm, “Did Helen say something to you?”

Rose shakes her head, “He looks so much like Jack!”

Silas: “They _are_ brothers.”

Rose: “The way he sits, the way he laughs, it’s all just like Jack! I can’t stand looking at him, and he’s everywhere!”

Silas puts his arm around her shoulder, and lets her cry onto his shoulder.

Rose: “I’m not a person without my children! I have no role! No function! And she comes in with this happy little thing that looks just like my Jack, but isn’t him! I miss Jack so much! I miss Michelle!”

Silas: “They’re gone because of what we did to them.”

Rose: “I know. I know.”

  * In a large meeting hall, David speaks to the recruits of the AFG, “Silas is going to make some kind of big announcement at eight, so we need to make this quick. We’re going back into Gilboa, and the goal here is to begin the fight against Silas and his regime. The AFG will be broken down into small individual groups of four to six that can be distributed throughout Gilboa with discretion and ease. Each group will be given a place to go, and from there, another place to go.”



Asher, “To keep it safe, I’m the only one who knows the entire network.”

Doug speaks up, “Where are we going?”

Shay, “You’re all going to spread out through Gilboa, and we’re going to figure out the best way to proceed from there.”

Doug, “What about David?”

David, “I don’t know. We’re just gonna have to see what happens. When everything is in place, the AFG can begin to take over significant targets and build our own ground,” he pauses for a moment, “Everyone knows how to use the communications network, right? It’s pretty simple, but if you’ve got any questions at all, no matter how stupid they are, it’s best to ask them now. The CheckIn app is the most important, it’s how we’re all going to know who’s safe and who’s not. After every fight, just check in as safe, and if you’re wounded, check wounded but safe. If you’re alone and in danger, you can send an alert out. And, if someone gets killed,” he pauses, “It takes two people to confirm a death, but it’s gonna be necessary. We need to know who all is still alive and able to fight, as well as where you are. This will tell us. Got it?”

Murmurs of “Got it.” from around the room.

David, “Okay, with any luck, we’ll head out tomorrow. If we need to leave before that, we’ll send an alert.”

  * David and Jack head towards their room.



Doug approaches them, “Hey, David!”

David turns around and sees him, “Hey, man.” Jack gives Doug an impatient look.

Doug, “You did good at your talk.”

David, “Thanks.”

Doug, “Do you know where it is you’re going when we’re heading out?”

Jack, “Why do you want to know?”

Doug, “I just want to know.”

David, “I’m not really sure, myself. We’re kind of keeping it loose. I think we’re eventually gonna go towards Shiloh, but we might find somewhere else to go.”

Doug, “Really? That’s the plan?”

David shrugs, “Making it up as I go has worked pretty well so far.”

Jack, “There’s a plan, it’s just not very solid. We’ll firm it up as we see what happens.”

David, “Why don’t you go with one of my brothers? I think James and Robert are planning to travel together. You can go with them and listen to them make fun of me.”

Doug, “Yeah, I think I’ll do that.”

Jack, annoyed, “Come on, Dad’s gonna make his announcement.”

David, “See you later, Doug.”

Doug, “You stay safe, David. None of this shit’s gonna work without you.”

He gives David a wide smile, and David grins at him, “I’ll do that.”

  * At 8:00, David sits with everyone to watch Silas’s announcement. ([“Ride” Dessa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsTSTDqDsCM))



o In his office, Shaw and his top officers watch.

Silas comes on TV: “Good evening, citizens of Gilboa. I’ve spent the last few weeks in intense negotiations with Premier Shaw of Gath, trying to avoid another war. As much as I tried to keep them going, the negotiations have failed, and war once again seems all but inevitable. Nonetheless, I am willing to give the nation of Gath and Premier Shaw one more chance: Gath has twenty-four hours to turn over David Shepherd and the group calling itself the Army of Free Gilboa. If Shepherd and his followers are not turned over to Gilboan authorities by that time, war will be declared against Gath.”

Shaw turns the TV off.

An officer, “What’s your decision, sir?”

Shaw: “Shepherd’s no use to me anymore. Give him to Silas.”

o Shaw and his military policemen marching down a hotel hallway to David’s room.

The policemen open the door, and Shaw marches into the room, “I’m sorry, David, but I’m putting my nation before you…”

He looks around and sees that the room is abandoned, “Search the hotel, find where they’re hiding, and arrest every member of the AFG that you find!”

  * David sits in a dark SUV, with Asher driving, Jack, Michelle, and Abby in the seats behind them. What space is available is crammed with supplies. Jack has a gun across his lap.



David: “Shit. We were smart to be prepared. Where are we going?”

Asher: “Town called Kielah. It’s on the Gilboan side of the border, should be easy to cross over. The Gilboan army is gathered primarily at the western edge of the border and around the Port of Prosperity, and there’s not much around places like Kielah.”

David: “Our cars, our guns, almost all of our supplies, that all comes from the Gath army, are you sure they can’t track us?”

Asher: “We’ve done as thorough a search as we can, if someone knows where we’re going, it’s because someone told someone else.”

David: “Are we going to stay in Kielah?”

Asher: “Not without being seen. There’s a wooded area south of Kielah, it’s a good place for several groups to set up camp and make plans. That’s where we’re gonna go.”

David: “So we’re just running into the woods with no idea how we’re going to get out. Sounds familiar.”

Asher: “You and me, we’ve made it out of the woods once. This time, we’re armed.”

David looks out of the window, and the SUV drives off into the darkness.


	12. S2, E12: Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo, season 2 finale!

**“Plans”**

Sunrise in Shiloh (grey, pink, and yellow light): Outside the palace, sunset: a massive, peaceful crowd of protesters stands. AFG flags fly proudly, and protesters carry signs bearing David’s face. Clergymen stand in line, praying for peace. Silas watches it all from the safety of the palace.

  * Up on his balcony, Andrew watches anxiously and makes a call on his phone.



William answers, walking through the hallway of an office building, “What do you want, Andrew? I’m fucking busy!”

Andrew, “Are you seeing all this?”

William, “This is all very good for us, but I can’t talk now!”

Andrew, “Dad-”

William cuts him off, “I have to go!” He hangs up.

Andrew puts his phone down and stares down at the protests.

  * In the woods outside Kielah, David sits and watches a feed on his phone. Jack and Abby watch along with him.



David shakes his head, “All those fucking people, out there saying I should be king.” He puts the phone down, “What the fuck am I doing? I don’t even know what our next move is gonna be. I have no fucking clue. I see all those people and all I can fucking think about is how when I was ten my dad had to replace our stairway bannister because I got my head stuck in it and he had to saw out one of the spindles.”

Jack: “Do you want me to tell you all kinds of embarrassing shit that Silas has done? Because believe me, I have some stories.”

David: “What I fucking want is a book about how to overthrow a king, and then another fucking book about how to be king.”

Abby: “ _The Art of War_ , by Sun Tzu, and _The Prince_ , by Machiavelli.”

David: “Now is not a great time to be a smartass, Abby.”

David gets up and walks over to the small camp that’s been set up. Asher, Shay, and Joel sit in the back of an SUV, looking at a map, discussing strategy.

David: “We need to make a plan, and we need to make one now.”

Shay: “Are you saying we should go to Shiloh?”

David: “I don’t know, but it seems like the logical thing to do. Go to Shiloh, attack the palace, get my ass in the throne and the crown on my head, that’s all we’re trying to do, right? Seems the quickest way to do it.”

Shay: “For starters, we’re five hundred miles away from Shiloh. Other groups are much closer. Do you want to send them in and attack as soon as possible, or do you want to gather everyone around the city and attack as a force?”

David: “Probably have a better chance of succeeding if we’re a united force.”

Shay: “Okay, so where do we go into the city? Do we take over points along the way, or are we aiming straight at the palace?”

David: “Do we have a map? Do we have some kind of idea of where the defenses are in the city?”

Shay: “We have a map. We can make some initial plans, but once we get there, we’ll probably have to make decisions as things happen.”

David: “Get a map. Let’s make a plan.”

Jack walks up to David, “What plan?”

David: “We’re going to Shiloh. We’re gonna attack the palace.”

Jack: “Okay, as someone who knows how the palace is protected, I can tell you that will never work.”

David: “Well, do you have a better plan?! Because I fucking don’t!”

Asher: “How are we going to get across Gilboa without being noticed? If we go separately, hide in plain sight, go slowly, and use our safe houses, it will take us a few days, but we can get there.”

David: “We need to get there sooner!”

Asher: “We can’t attack the palace if we’re arrested first!”

  * Shaw sits, surrounded by his advisors.



Advisor: “It’s been long enough, Shepherd’s out of the country.”

Shaw: “Silas was clear, we have to give him Shepherd, he can’t just be out of the country.”

Advisor: “We have reports of a number of our vehicles being seen going through the town of Kielah early this morning. We can go looking for Shepherd, but it will require going across the border into Gilboa.”

Shaw: “Is the border defended there?”

Advisor: “No.”

Shaw: “Then go. We won’t stop until we find Shepherd.”

  * Grocery store in the town of Kielah. Housewives buy groceries for the week. Outside the front doors, a Goliath drives by, followed by a cadre of military vehicles. A group of soldiers come bursting into the grocery store, screaming for everyone to get down. Cashiers scream and cower beside their registers.



An officer approaches the store manager, “We’re looking for David Shepherd!”

In a motel, soldiers go room to room, looking for David, waking up and terrifying sleeping guests.

The Goliath drives up the main street of Kielah, towards the town hall. The mayor of Kielah stands and watches the Goliath roll up.

  * In Shiloh, an officer comes rushing up to Silas, “Sir, we’re getting reports that Gath has taken over a Gilboan town on the eastern edge of the border.”



Silas: “What? Why?”

Officer: “There’s word that Shepherd may be in the area.”

Silas: “Shit! Send in what we can!”

Officer: “Will do, but it’s going to take some time, the nearest unit is at least an hour away.”

  * Isaiah listens to a radio, he hears a voice say, “We’re in the process of securing the perimeter of Kielah, still no sign of Shepherd.”



Isaiah goes running up to David, “David! I’m hearing the Phils say they’re in Kielah!”

David: “What?”

Isaiah: “I dunno man, but if they’re crossing the border looking for us, we need to get out of here!”

David turns to Joel, “How many groups are nearby?”

Joel, “I dunno, define nearby!”

David, “How many people can we get to Kielah right now?”

Joel: “What, you want to fight the Gath Army?”

David: “We’re fighting for Gilboa, they’re attacking Gilboa, and they’re doing it because of me!”

Joel: “Silas is sending his army!”

David: “Then imagine how pissed he’ll be when we get there first! We’re gonna save Kielah!”

  * The AFG races toward the town.



o In the Kielah police station, a group of policemen stand guarded by Gath soldiers while other soldiers search the station. Soldiers search residential homes while citizens cower in fear. In the city hall, city employees sit under guard while in his office, the mayor has his head plunged into a bucket of water.

The soldier doing the plunging pulls him out, and the officer in charge screams, “Why did Shepherd come through here?!”

o On the edges of the city, by the “Welcome to Kielah!” sign, a group of soldiers man a roadblock. A truck pulls up, looking like a routine traffic stop, and a group of AFG soldiers jump out and begin firing.

The AFG leader speaks into a radio, “Perimeter is open.”

o At the mayor’s office, a soldier talks to the lead officer, “The perimeter’s been breached, we need to retreat or return fire.”

Officer, “I thought you said the nearest army unit was two hours away!”

Soldier, “It’s not the Gilboan Army, it’s someone else!”

o The Goliath drives back down Main Street, toward a line of black SUVs. AFG soldiers hide behind the bullet-proof doors and fire at the Gath soldiers. One more SUV drives up and pulls to a stop. David jumps out, carrying a rocket launcher, and confidently goes over to where he can get a shot at the Goliath. He fires a round, and it lands on the Goliath, exploding spectacularly and stopping it in its tracks.

Isaiah sticks his head out of the SUV, “I fuckin’ love HEAT missiles, man. I call that one ‘The David.’”

David: “They should really learn that Goliaths aren’t gonna work against me.” David watches the Gath army retreat. Citizens watch in bewilderment and amazement.

Joel comes up to David, “We’ve got to get out of here, man, Silas’s army’s gonna be all over our asses if we wait any longer!”

Shay: “Where are we going?”

David: “Shiloh! We’ve gotta get to Shiloh! But Asher’s right, we’ve gotta blend in! We can’t use a bunch of bullet-riddled SUVs, shit! Is there like a car dealership or something around here?”

He turns around and climbs back into the SUV he was in, “Abby, find me the nearest car dealership!”

Abby begins looking on her phone.

Shay follows David, “What the fuck are you doing, David?”

David: “I’m leading! Come on!”

  * At a used car dealership, David and Jack transfer the contents of their SUV into the back of a janky old white van while the owner and workers watch incredulously. Other AFG groups do the same. Joel, Asher, and Shay go up to David.



Shay: “So we’re just going to Shiloh? What are we gonna do when we get there?”

David: “I dunno! I haven’t had a plan before, and it’s gotten me this far!”

David goes to move something else, but Jack stops him, “David, you can’t just attack Shiloh with no plan. Come on, you know that’s only gonna get us all fucking killed!”

David: “Well, I don’t have a plan! I have never had a plan! I just do shit! It’s gonna take us a few days to get to Shiloh, maybe by then I’ll think of something!”

Asher: “David, this sort of thing is gonna take more than just a few days in a car to figure out.”

David: “We have to go! Come on, the army’s gonna be here any minute! Jack, Michelle, Abby, you’re all with me, Joel, Shay, Asher, Isaiah, you all stay together, we’re gonna go to Shiloh.”

Asher: “My parents live in Nob, let’s all just agree to end up there, okay? It’s a place where we can make an actual plan.”

David, getting into the driver’s seat of the van, “Yeah, okay, fine, whatever, let’s just go!”

  * Driving out of Kielah, David spots a line of Gilboan army vehicles coming toward him, “Oh, fuck.”



Jack: “Just keep driving. They aren’t focused on you, they’re focused on the Phils.”

David nods, “All right.” He tilts his face away from the vehicles as they drive past them in silence. When the last one passes, David lets out a huge sigh of relief.

Abby: “The van was a good idea.”

Michelle: “David’s still pretty recognizable. We should think about changing our appearances somehow.”

David: “Not until we’re a good way away from Kielah!”

Jack: “Where are we going?”

David: “East. That’s where Shiloh is.”

Everyone sits in silence for a while.

Finally, Abby speaks up, “David, you know this whole making it up as you go along thing isn’t going to cut it now that you’re actually in charge of something.”

David: “I know! I know! I fucking know, but I don’t know what else I can fucking do! God’s chosen me to be king, and God’s protecting me, and everything is working and I’m still alive, so maybe I’m doing something right!”

Abby: “That’s not how a king makes decisions.”

David: “Well, I’m not a fucking king yet, okay?!”

Abby: “Our lives are in your hands. Every life in Gilboa is in your hands. Are you going to just throw us all at every nearby target that comes up?”

David: “I don’t know! I don’t know! I don’t fucking know!” He pulls the van over to the side of the road.

Abby: “What? What is it?”

David: “I need a minute! I need a fucking minute to think!”

Abby sighs heavily and gets out of the van. She goes over to the driver’s seat and opens the door, “Move. I’m driving.”

David climbs over into the passenger’s seat. Abby climbs in, adjusts the seat and mirrors, and starts driving. David stares angrily out at the passing landscape.

Abby: “I’m probably the least recognizable, I’ll be the one who handles the gas and food and anything else we need until we can get ourselves disguised a little bit better.”

David, calming down a little bit, “All right. Sounds like a plan.” They drive on in quiet for a moment.

Abby: “Good plans don’t just come fully formed. You have to sit down and draw them out, bit by bit. They take time and they take effort.”

David, “We don’t have time.”

Abby: “We need time. There’s no way around it, we can’t move forward without a real plan, and we’re gonna make whatever amount of time is needed to make that plan.”

In the back seat, Michelle speaks up, “Temperance.”

David: “What?”

Michelle: “Temperance. It’s the town where Silas was born, where he grew up. It’s west of here. Maybe if we go there, we can find something we can use.”

David: “That’s…. a plan. It’s a real plan. Which is more than I have right now.”

Jack: “I don’t want to go there.”

Michelle: “Why?”

Jack: “Because there’s nothing there. We’re just gonna waste our time.”

Abby: “What do you say, David?”

David: “I… I don’t know. Keep going east. I need to think.”

  * Silas and Shaw speak over a video conference.



Shaw: “It was not an attack on Gilboa, it was a search for a dangerous and wanted terrorist!”

Silas: “You attacked a town on Gilboan soil! That is an act of war!”

Shaw: “So declare your war, then! You’ve been waiting for this ever since you signed that peace treaty!”

Silas: “I gave you a deadline, and I’m not one to go back on my word. You have three hours to turn over Shepherd, if you want to prevent a war.”

Shaw: “Shepherd is in Gilboa! The only way I can possibly turn him over to you is with Gath soldiers in Gilboa, which you will tell me is an act of war! There is nothing I can do! Shepherd is your problem, Silas! It’s utterly pointless to go to war with Gath over him! You’ll only be sacrificing your own men for nothing! What, if anything, does Gath have to do with this?!”

Silas: “You took him in, in the first place.”

Shaw: “So you go to war with Gath. You go to war with Shepherd. Will you go to war with Ammon, too? Or Aram?”

Silas: “I will fight my enemies wherever they shall appear.”

Shaw: “War won’t bring your children back to you!”

Silas: “And bitching at me won’t stop this war! You have three hours!” Silas turns off the conference.

  * Sunset in Shiloh: orange, yellow, and red light. The palace is surrounded by riot police, and the police are massively outnumbered by protesters. The tone of this protest is distinctly different than the first one: angrier, not just protesting Silas in general, but demanding that he step down immediately. The crowd begins to chant, “Step down! Step down! Step down!”



In the palace, Silas stands stoically and watches it all like a vulture. Those at the front of the crowd begin to fight the police, and the police respond with their clubs. The police fire tear gas into the crowd, and protesters scatter.

Rose joins Silas. Silas: “I’ve lost the love of my people. They love Shepherd, now.”

Rose: “Shepherd doesn’t know how to be king.”

Silas: “Neither did I, but I learned.”

  * Andrew talks to William, “What’s going on?”



William, “Gilboa is going to war again. Very good news for us, but it also means a lot of work. Think you can handle it?”

Andrew, “I can. I have news for you, Dad. I’m getting married.”

William, “Ha! I bet Silas is gonna hate that.”

Andrew, suppressing his unhappiness, “I’d like for you to meet my fiancée. Her name is Chloe.”

William, “I’d love to meet her, but we can’t do that.”

Andrew, “Chloe and I can just go to Moab for a weekend, easily.”

William, “No, no, that’s not going to happen.”

Andrew, “Why not?”

William, “Listen, Andrew, once this war gets going, things are going to start happening, things that it’s best you don’t know about in advance. I’m not giving up on my plan to get the Cross family what it’s owed.”

Andrew, “Is this going to put me in danger?”

William, “Not as long as you don’t do anything stupid.”

Andrew, uneasily, “What are you planning? I deserve to know.”

William, “Nothing that involves you.”

Andrew, “If something goes wrong, I’m going to be affected.”

William, “Nothing is going to go wrong this time. You just have to trust me on this. Do you trust me?”

Andrew, “I do.”

  * In the van, Abby orders from a fast food restaurant while Jack, Michelle, and David hide in the back. Abby gets the food, and parks in a spot. She climbs into the back seat and distributes the food.



David: “God, I’m starving.” He unwraps a hamburger and tears into it.

Jack laughs, “Still haven’t learned your lesson about hamburgers.”

David: “What the fuck else am I supposed to be eating?”

Michelle opens her box of chicken nuggets, takes one, and looks at it curiously, “Oh my god, I’ve never had these before.”

David: “What?!”

Jack: “I have to record this!” He takes out his phone.

Michelle shrugs, “Between my heart and the whole princess thing, going out for food is something I never did a lot of.”

David: “Eat them with the sweet and sour sauce. The most delicious thing you’ll ever try.”

Grinning nervously, Michelle dips a nugget into a packet of sauce, eats it, and covers her face with her hand, “Oh my god, that is so good!” Everyone laughs.

Abby: “I honestly never thought I’d ever meet someone who’s never had chicken nuggets.”

Michelle: “Being a princess is supposed to be what every little girl wants, but in reality, it’s just an endless line of shit you don’t get to do. And, honestly, chicken nuggets are such a small thing, I never even knew I was missing out.” She takes another bite, and goes on, “People act so fucking shocked when I say I’ve sworn off sex and romance. What they don’t get is I’m used to giving shit up. As a princess, you can’t go make the friends you want, can’t go to the school you want, can’t look the way you want, can’t choose the career you want. Sex is just another sacrifice to make. It’s the only way I can get out of having kids. No kid deserves to go through what I went through.”

David: “Well, here you are, eating chicken nuggets. You’ve cut your hair, you’ve got tattoos, you’re wearing a dirty hoodie, and living out of the back of a janky old van. You’re living the fucking life, Michelle.”

Michelle laughs and raises a nugget, “Fuck yes! Livin’ the life!”

Jack: “Hey, if you’re thinking about having sex, now, you can’t have David, he’s mine! You have to go find some other hot, heroic future king!”

Michelle, rolling her eyes: “God, I don’t even know how to fucking drive.”

David: “Seriously? I got my license the moment I turned sixteen.”

Michelle: “No need to drive if you only ever leave the palace with a driver.”

David: “Well, there’s no way we’re ending this little road trip without you learning how to drive. We’ve got the perfect opportunity for it.”

Jack: “And learning in a van full of ammunition means you’ll be extra careful.”

Michelle: “You are not allowed to sit in the back seat and yell ‘Look out!’”

Jack: “I won’t!”

David: “Hey, my brothers taught me how to drive, Jack should be the one who teaches Michelle how to drive.”

Abby: “My brother taught me, too! Teaching you how to drive is like all that brothers are good for.”

Jack: “You know who taught me how to drive? The 45-year-old man that I had an affair with when I was fifteen!”

Michelle: “It was not an affair.”

Jack: “Then what the hell am I supposed to call it? A romance? A fling? What am I supposed to call him? My lover? My molester?”

Michelle: “Maybe just Reggie.”

David: “You never told me about him.”

Jack, sighing uncomfortably, “There’s nothing to say. He took advantage of me. I got over it. I’m with you now. I think these days he’s on the board at CrossGen, probably still fucking teenagers.”

David: “I’m adding CrossGen to the list of shit I’m taking down. That’s a plan. An actual plan.”

Jack: “It’s gonna be a fucking act of God for you to take down Silas, now you’re adding CrossGen?”

David: “Why not? What’s the point of leading an army if you can’t strike down all your enemies?”

Jack shrugs, “I guess you can do that shit when you’re king. But you’ve gotta be king, first.”

David, changing the subject, “How much further do we want to go tonight, anyway?”

Abby: “In another thirty miles, we can turn onto a south-bound road that will take us toward Temperance. I think we can stop there, change our appearances, and decide whether or not we want to go.”

Jack: “I don’t want to go to Temperance.”

David: “We might find something there, and we need all the help we can get.”

Jack sighs heavily, “I don’t want to end up feeling sorry for my dad. I know there’s a reason he never told us about his childhood, and I don’t want to know what it is.”

Michelle: “We should go. You, too, Jack. Whatever’s there, we need it. Even if it hurts.”

David nods and smiles, “All right. It’s a plan.”

  * Silas sits with Vesper, staring down at a mid-game chess board. He sighs heavily, “Goddamnit. I’ve fucked this all up. I might as well let you win.”



Vesper, “You’re in check, but you still have a few moves you can make.”

Silas, “You’ve still got me cornered.”

Vesper, “So are you just going to give up?”

Silas moves a piece.

Vesper stares at the board for a moment, and then, in a soft voice, says, “You can still call it off.”

Silas, “What, the game?”

Vesper, “The whole war with Gath.”

Silas, “I can’t.”

Vesper, “Yes, you can. You’re the king, and you can do whatever you goddamn want.”

Silas, “I want the borderlands and the port back.”

Vesper, “Fine. It’s your decision.” He moves another piece.

Silas, “Oh, come on, don’t drag this out! Just checkmate me and get it over with!”

Vesper, thinking, “What exactly are you telling Seth about all of this?”

Silas, “He’s not completely sheltered. He knows my job as king involves going to war.”

Vesper, “Yes, but this time, his siblings are on the other side of your war.”

Silas, “God will protect them. I will fight this war, I will destroy David Shepherd, and I will bring my children back home.”

Vesper sighs, “One of the first books I read in here was _Les Misérables_. There is a paragraph, describing Napoleon, that I kept reading and re-reading. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I still think of it often.”

Silas, “And what is it?”

Vesper, “ _Cette clarté, l’histoire, est impitoyable_.”

Silas, “In English, please!”

Vesper smirks, “The light of history is pitiless. It has a strange and divine quality that, luminous as it is, and precisely because it is luminous, often casts a shadow where we once saw a radiance; out of the same man it makes two different phantoms, and one attacks and punishes the other. The darkness of the despot struggles with the splendor of the captain. Hence a truer measure in the final judgement of nations. Tyranny follows the tyrant. Woe be to the man who casts a shadow that bears his form.”

  * David sits in a bathtub in a shabby motel room. His hair is bright purple. The bathroom counter is littered with various hair dyes kits.



Michelle, with freshly bleached hair, kneels next to him, holding a needle from her medic’s kit, “Okay, David, just remember, if you scream too loud, the neighbors will probably call the cops.”

Jack leans against the far wall of the bathroom, smirking and recording everything on his phone. David makes a suppressed noise as Michelle pierces his eyebrow. Jack laughs.

David: “Why the fuck are you recording this?!”

Jack: “It’s funny!”

David, “I’m in pain, it’s not funny!”

Jack: “You’re suffering for your cause, babe!”

Michelle: “All right, turn around, lemme do your lip.”

Abby, with her hair dyed black, pokes her head in through the door, “You know, Jack, considering you’re the only one too damn vain to change his appearance, you really have no right to be laughing.”

Jack, “That’s what sunglasses are for! Anyway, I’m gonna grow my beard out! This time next week, you can all call me Lumber Jack!”

Michelle, Abby, and David, at the same time, “NO!”

  * ([“Make A Shadow” Meg Myers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-z4sUKWd6Q)) Jack and David sit in the back of the van, Jack curled up in David’s arm. David sports piercings on his ears, an eyebrow, and lower lip. Abby drives and Michelle dozes in the passenger seat. David pulls out his phone, and glances at the time: 7:57.



David: “I still have three minutes to turn myself over to Silas and stop a war.”

Jack, “You want to do that?” David doesn’t reply.

o In Shiloh, outside the palace is a candle-light anti-war vigil. Illuminated faces look up at the cold edifice of the palace. Silas watches, the candles reflected in his glasses.

o Helen tucks Seth in and kisses him good night.

o In the van, David sends a text to Jessie: “Just want you to know that I’m OK. I can’t tell you much, but I’m OK. I love you.” He sends it.

A few seconds later, Jessie sends him a photo: her drinking a daiquiri on the beach. David laughs, delighted, but still tinged with sadness.

o Cut back and forth from Silas in his office, watching his clock, and David in the van, watching his phone, as time ticks down, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

o Silas: “It’s war, then.”

o David: “Let’s go.”  



	13. S3, E1: Temperance

“ **Temperance** ”

Silas gives a speech at an army base. He stands on a stage, at a podium, while thousands of regimented soldiers spread out in front of him, reminiscent of Hitler at the Nuremberg rallies.

Silas speaks calmly, “Today, Gilboa once again finds itself at war with our old enemy, Gath. We’ve fought Gath throughout much of our history. We know how to fight Gath. We know how to defeat Gath. God has shown us his favor, we will be victorious in this war.”

The soldiers roar in approval, Silas remains calm.

He goes on, “But this is not our only war. We face a new enemy, one from within. His name is David Shepherd, and he is the very embodiment of evil.” ([“L.E.S. Artistes” Santigold](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciJDA0tcQfs))

o David sits in the passenger seat of the janky old van, eating french fries from a bag. The great planes spread out around a long stretch of highway, the van driving westward. Jack drives and drinks from a fast food cup. In the back of the van, Abby tries to toss chicken nuggets into Michelle’s mouth.

o Silas goes on with his speech: “He has built his own army of radicals and terrorists, and they seek to destroy our sacred nation.”

o In the back of the van, Michelle carefully paints Abby’s nails.

o Silas: “Shepherd’s depravity knows no bounds. He turned my children against me, blinded them, seduced them.”

o On the bed of a shabby motel room, Jack gives David the blow job of his life. David reaches climax, and Jack smiles up at him adorably, laughing and genuinely happy.

o Silas, “Jack and Michelle have been stolen from me, and I will not forgive this.”

o Michelle sits in the driver’s seat of the van, clutching the steering wheel.

Jack sits next to her, “Okay, just put it in drive, and go forward slowly.” Michelle puts the van in drive, and the van lurches forward.

Jack, “SLOWLY!”

o Silas: “Darkness is coming.”

o David leans out the passenger window. A dark thunderstorm rolls over the planes, lightning flashes.

o Silas: “We cannot let it consume us.”

o In awe, David watches a distant tornado snake across the ground.

o Silas: “Shepherd promises the vague ideas of revolution and freedom, but offers no answers as to what any of that means, or the sacrifices required to see them.”

o Michelle drives confidently through rugged foothills. Abby admires the view of approaching mountains.

o Silas: “The revolution Shepherd promises will only bring horror and devastation.”

o At the side of the road, a short distance away from the van, beautiful mountains in the background, David tempts a wild elk with an apple. The elk takes the apple from his hand, and David smiles with delight.

o Silas: “He is a false prophet who tells lies and creates fear.”

o David, Abby, Jack, and Michelle laugh over breakfast in a small-town diner.

o Silas: “But we shall not be governed by fear.”

o Michelle and Abby sleep peacefully in the back of the van.

Jack and David sit on the hood of the van, gazing up at a brilliant, seemingly endless night sky. David has an arm around Jack, and he points out the various constellations.

o Silas, “We are led by a higher calling. We will not lose sight of what we are fighting for.”

o David gazes lovingly at Jack, who is still awed by the sight of the stars.

o Silas, “The righteous shall win!” The soldiers around him cheer triumphantly.

  * Abby drives the van, while Michelle sits in the passenger seat. Michelle looks at herself in a compact mirror: along with her bleached hair, she has red lipstick and winged eyeliner. She angles the compact and looks at Jack and David, curled up and sleeping against each other in the back.



Michelle: “Oh my fucking god. Would you look at how sickeningly adorable those two are? We’re up all night driving and they’re all curled up and blissful like that. It’s not fair.”

Abby: “I can’t look, I’m driving.”

Michelle: “I know exactly what to do….” Michelle pulls her phone out of her pocket, and plugs it into the van’s stereo.

A wicked grin comes over her face, and she turns the volume up as she begins to sing along, “YO, I’LL TELL YOU WHAT I WANT WHAT I REALLY, REALLY WANT!”

Jack’s eyes bolt open, and he groggily yells, “Michelle!”

“SO TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WANT!”

Abby struggles to suppress a grin.

Jack: “Michelle!” Michelle continues singing along as loudly as she can.

Jack: “TURN THE FUCKING MUSIC OFF!”

Finally, Abby joins in and sings along with Michelle, “I REALLY REALLY REALLY WANNA ZIG-A-ZIG AH!”

Suddenly, the van’s engine clunks and stops working.

Abby: “Oh, fuck!”

Michelle turns the music off, “What is it?”

Abby: “The engine stopped!”

David: “Pull over, I’ll take a look at it.”

  * David digs around in the engine while Abby paces along the edge of the road.



Jack hangs out the driver’s seat window, recording David with his phone, “Look at you, you sexy, dirty grease monkey! Take your shirt off, babe!”

Abby: “Will you shut the fuck up?! We got a van so we’d be less conspicuous and now we’re stranded on the side of the fucking road!”

David: “Try it again!”

Jack turns the keys, and the engine sputters but doesn’t turn.

David: “The spark plug is broken.”

Abby: “So what the fuck does that mean?!”

David: “It means we need to call a tow and get to a shop where we can buy a new one. I’ll change it out in fifteen minutes, get us on our way, we’ll be fine!”

Abby, exasperated, “Oh, fuck! We are so fucked!”

David takes his phone out and begins dialing a number, “When was the last time you slept?”

Abby: “I don’t remember.”

David, “We’ll be fine!”

  * In the palace, Rose talks to Thomasina, “Has Director Reinhardt been in today?”



Thomasina, “He never misses troop review, ma’am.”

Rose, “Oh, I forgot that was today. Has the MSS sent any new intelligence reports?”

Thomasina, “No.”

Rose saddens, “Oh.”

Thomasina leans in to Rose, and in a low voice says, “If we haven’t heard anything, it means they’re fine.”

Rose looks up at her, and tries to smile a little bit, “Of course…” she pauses, her melancholy returns, “I just want to know where they are.”

Thomasina, “If anything comes in, you’ll be the first to know.”

Rose, “Thank you.” She walks past Thomasina.

  * At a nearby auto shop, David stands at the counter. Jack leans against the door, still wearing his sunglasses. Abby and Michelle stare up at several large WANTED posters featuring David and the AFG leadership. Michelle’s poster is notably absent.



Michelle mutters to Abby: “What kind of patriarchal bullshit is this that Princess Michelle doesn’t get her own wanted poster?”

Abby: “Please don’t!”

The shop owner comes into the shop, and hands David the part he needs.

David: “I can swap it out myself, don’t worry about having someone replace it.”

Shop owner: “Sure thing.”

He rings David up, and then sees Michelle staring at the posters, “Got those in yesterday. Doin’ my part to take down the enemies of my nation.”

Michelle, “You forgot Princess Michelle.”

The shop owner shrugs, “She doesn’t have one. I heard Prince Jack kidnapped her.”

Michelle, muttering, “That’s bullshit. Princess Michelle has been through some SHIT. She’s a SURVIVOR.”

Abby jabs Michelle in the ribs.

Michelle, “What? There’s no way in hell she’d ever let her punk ass brother keep her somewhere she doesn’t want to be.”

Jack makes an “excuse me” face.

The shop owner chuckles, “Well, wherever she is, if she really is on David Shepherd’s side, she’d better not turn up around here. Folks here are loyal to our king. King Silas is from these parts, you know.”

David, trying to stay casual, “Oh, really? Where, exactly?”

Shop owner: “The old Benjamin family farm is on State Road 30, although there ain’t much to see there anymore. Still, we get a few curiosity-seekers that come through every once and a while.”

David: “Huh. Thanks for the help.”

  * At the army base, Silas proudly shows Seth off to a group of delighted officers.



Silas speaks to Seth, “You know, some day, you’re going to be king, and you’ll be the one making speeches and commanding troops.”

Seth: “I don’t want to make speeches!”

Silas, “Oh, come on, Seth, it’s not hard when you believe in what you’re saying.”

Seth, “What if someone like David Shepherd tries to overthrow me?”

An officer, “You don’t need to worry, your highness, the army Gilboa is here to serve and protect you.”

Another officer, “David Shepherd is good at creating news, but he doesn’t have what it takes to actually lead an army.”

Seth: “Dad calls him a power-hungry bisexual incubus.” The officers look at Silas.

Silas grins, chiding, “Don’t talk like your dad, Seth.”

Abner approaches, “Director Reinhardt still hasn’t shown up.”

Silas, “Son of a bitch!”

Seth looks up at him curiously.

Silas, “He’s never missed troop review. Has anyone gotten in touch with him?”

Abner, “I’ve had my assistant make several tries, but we’ve gotten nothing.”

Silas, “Keep trying to reach him. He’ll show up eventually.”

  * The van, back up and running, pulls onto a dirt road into a small patch of woods. They drive through a bit, and then come to a clearing, where a small farmhouse and barn stand abandoned. David, Abby, and Michelle, all climb out and look.



Jack reluctantly comes up behind them, and stares, “That’s it?”

Michelle, “He always said he came up from nothing.”

Jack: “Guess so.”

Michelle walks up to the front steps of the house. She touches the railing of the porch. She looks over and sees an old tree with the remnants of a tire swing still dangling from a limb. Jack stands in place, arms crossed, surveying the scene.

He takes a step towards Michelle, “Well, we’ve seen it. Come on, let’s go.”

Michelle turns around, “I want to look around.”

Jack: “There’s nothing to see!”

Michelle doesn’t listen. She goes up to the front door and tries it. The door swings open with a creak. Michelle casts a look back and Jack, and goes inside. Annoyed, Jack follows her.

  * The inside of the house is dusty- the valuables and practical items have long ago been looted, but the larger and valueless pieces remain. A family portrait hangs up on the wall- to parents, a boy, and a girl.



Michelle stares at it, and Jack comes up behind her, “Is that Dad?” He examines the boy’s  
grim face, which looks like his own.

Michelle, “Must be.”

Jack looks at the parents, “These must be our grandparents, and…” he looks at the girl, “Who the hell is that?”

Michelle leans in an examines the girl. She’s slightly younger than Silas, and looks like Michelle. Michelle, “Maybe she’s a cousin?”

Behind them, David and Abby look around at the house. Abby looks in a closet, and finds a trunk. She kneels down and opens it, revealing that it’s full of dusty old photos, with a photo album and two velvet boxes on top.

Abby, “Hey, look at this.”

Michelle comes over and kneels beside her, while Jack looks over their shoulders. Michelle takes the two boxes, and opens one, revealing a moth-eaten military medal.

Jack, “Cross of honor. That’s what David got.”

Michelle looks at the back and sees a name engraved there which she says aloud, “Lt. Chris Benjamin.” She opens the second box, revealing another medal.

Jack, softly, “Wounded Heart.”

Michelle sets the medals aside, and then picks up one of the photo albums. She opens the cover, and finds a newspaper clipping, an obituary.

She reads aloud, “Chris and Suzanne Benjamin were sadly killed in a car accident April 2nd. They were proceeded in death by their daughter, Kathleen, and are survived by their son, Silas.” She looks up at Jack, “Daughter?”

Jack, confused, “That has to be wrong. Dad- Dad doesn’t have a sister.”

Michelle moves the obituary clipping, and finds a funeral program, “Remembering the life of KATHLEEN BENJAMIN.”

Michelle, softly, “Oh my god.”

Jack, “What?”

Michelle, “She was fourteen when she died.”

Jack, “So?”

Michelle, “I was fourteen when I got my transplant,” She wipes tears out of her eyes, “She had HLHS.” ([“Lovely” Billie Eilish](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1Pl8CzNzCw))

o Michelle stands up and walks away. She goes out, back on to the front porch. She looks over to the side where the old tree is, and we see it as it was: a tire swing with child Silas pushing Kathleen, laughing and playing.

o Back in the house, Jack wanders into a bedroom. In there, Silas, 9, puts on his father’s army cap. He stands up straight and admires himself in the mirror.

Chris walks in and sees him, “Take that off!”

Silas: “I’m sorry!”

Chris goes over and slaps him, “Don’t disrespect me like that!”

o In the kitchen, the family sits as Chris leads them in prayer at the dinner table. Silas looks on with terror and reverence in his eyes.

o On the porch, Michelle looks over her shoulder. Alister Cross sits on his horse, talking to Chris. Rose and William are on their own horses, behind him.

Silas, 11, hangs on the porch railing, smiling at Rose, “Hi, Rose!”

Rose looks over and smiles coyly, “Hello, Silas.”

Chris barks after Silas, “Don’t chase after what you can’t have!”

o Michelle turns around and walks back into the house. She goes down a hallway and opens the door to a bedroom. Inside, Chris and Suzanne comfort an ill Kathleen while Silas peers in from the doorway.

o Jack stands in the kitchen. Suzanne kneels and comforts a crying Silas, who has a black eye, “You just have to try to not make your father so angry.”

o Michelle looks over into the other bedroom. Silas, 15, is pushed into bed by Rose.

She climbs on top, laughing, and pulls his shirt off, “If my dad finds out I’m doing this, he’s gonna kill me!”

Silas: “I won’t tell anyone.” Rose bends down and kisses him.

o In the living room, Jack stands, and Silas and his father have a screaming match.

Silas: “I am not a little boy anymore! I’m not going to let you hurt me!”

Chris: “It’s not my problem you’re too weak to stand a good beating!”

Silas takes a swing at Chris, but misses. Chris lands a punch on Silas, grabs him, and proceeds to pummel him as Silas fights to get away.

o Back in Kathleen’s bedroom, Michelle watches as Silas, Chris, Suzanne, and a reverend all gather to pray and cry around a dying Kathleen.

o Jack looks out the back door. Silas walks away from the house, a pack slung over his shoulder.

o Michelle goes back down the hallway into the living room. Jack turns around and sees her. The living room is full of guests in black. Young adult Silas, now a decorated army officer in his uniform, sits in a chair, dejected.

A friend, Bert, sits beside him, “I’m sorry, Silas.”

Silas: “Dad was a drunk and the world is better off without him. I don’t understand why Mom had to be in the car with him.” He weeps into his hands.

A woman approaches, “Silas.” Silas looks up, and sees Rose smiling kindly at him.

o In Silas’s bedroom, where they kiss passionately.

Silas: “I thought you were engaged.”

Rose: “I am. Consider this a parting gift.” Silas gently pushes her into the bed.

o Jack and Michelle stand on the porch, where Silas and Kathleen once stood. Michelle holds the old family portrait. Silas walks out the front door, carrying his possessions, Bert following him.

Bert: “What are you gonna do with the farm, Silas?”

Silas: “I don’t care. Burn it to the fucking ground.”

The old figures fade away, and David takes Jack and Michelle’s picture. When it’s done, they all get back into the van without saying a word.

  * Silas and Seth on the drive back to Shiloh, in the back seat of an SUV.



Silas: “So what do you think, you want to be king?”

Seth: “Jack didn’t want to be king.”

Silas, “Now where did you hear that?”

Seth: “He left. I wouldn’t have left if he wanted to be king.”

Silas: “Hm. Well, I think Jack wouldn’t be a very good king, anyway. I think you’ll do a better job.”

Seth: “What if I don’t want to be king?”

Silas: “Being king is the best job in the world. It takes a very special kind of man to be king.”

Seth: “Yeah, but what if I don’t want it?”

Silas: “Do you not want to be king?”

Seth: “I do. I just don’t know if I’ll change my mind in the future.”

Silas, “Oh, yeah? What do you want to do if you don’t want to be king?”

Seth shrugs, “I dunno. Being a doctor would be cool, I guess. I want to help people.”

Silas grins, “You don’t just get to help people when you’re king, you get to help an entire country. You think medicine is cool, as king, you can build hospitals and have them named for you. You can make sure scientists have all the money and resources they need to make new medicines. You can make sure your citizens have enough money to pay for their healthcare. Nobody is better at helping people than a king.”

Seth grins back, “That’d be cool.”

Silas: “Trust me, when the time comes, you’ll want to be king.”

Seth: “Did your dad want you to be king?”

Silas: “My dad died before I was crowned.”

Seth: “What was he like?”

Silas hesitates before answering, “Mean. Be glad you never met him.”

The driver speaks up, “There’s protesters around the palace, sir, do you want me to take the long way to avoid them?”

Silas: “Take the long way.”

  * As they enter the palace, Thomasina comes to greet them, “Caesar Reinhardt just arrived. I told him you were looking for him. He seemed to be in a hurry.”



Silas says to Seth, “You go up to your mom, I’ll have some dinner brought up,” he turns to Thomasina, “Tell him to meet me in my office.”

  * In Silas’s office, Silas sits at his desk, and Reinhardt enters.



Silas, “Where the fuck have you been?”

Reinhardt, “My deepest apologies, sir, but something unexpected came up.”

Silas, “What could have possibly been so momentous that you missed troop review, and so catastrophic that I couldn’t reach you?”

Reinhardt, slightly hesitant, “My wife had a baby, sir.”

Silas’s eyes widen with surprise, “No shit,” a smile breaks over his face, “Why didn’t you say anything? I’d give you leave!”

Reinhardt smiles sheepishly, “I would rather avoid the distraction.”

Silas, “A baby is not a distraction. Fatherhood is a true blessing. The most beautiful moment of my life was when Rose told me, not only was she was pregnant, she was having twins.” He smiles for a moment, deeply nostalgic, but then sadness comes over his face. Quickly, he changes the subject, “Is it a boy or a girl?”

Reinhardt, “A boy. Nine pounds, seven ounces.”

Silas, “What’s his name?”

Reinhardt, “Matthew Benjamin Reinhardt.”

Silas chuckles delightedly, “You son of a bitch. You’ve been planning this moment for nine months, haven’t you?”

Reinhardt, “My father’s name is Benjamin.”

Silas, “Like hell it is!” he laughs and slaps Reinhardt on the back, “Congratulations.”

  * Jack and Michelle sit in the back of the van. David drives, and everyone sits in silence.



Jack: “You realize this means we were conceived at our grandparents’ wake, right?”

Michelle, “Ew. What makes you so sure?”

Jack: “The dates. Almost nine months to the day.”

Michelle: “Shit. I guess it does explain a lot, though.”

Michelle looks down at the family portrait. With her fingertip, she outlines the shape of Kathleen’s face.

Michelle: “Why do you think he never told us about Kathleen?”

Jack: “Fuck if I know. Maybe he just… didn’t want to go back there, digging up old shit. Maybe he was scared it’d happen again.”

Michelle wipes away a tear, “I hope he’s telling Seth all this. Being sick all the time, I just felt so alone. To know that Silas had seen this before, that I wasn’t such a freak, it would have changed so much for me.”

Jack: “Even knowing that she died?”

Michelle sniffs, “So much has changed since then. Transplants are common. There’s surgeries that can fix the problem so you don’t even need a transplant. I just wanted to know that I wasn’t the only person to ever go through all this.”

Jack reaches over and puts his hand on Michelle's, “I wish I’d done a better job being there for you.”

Michelle: “It’s not your fault. I’m sure they sent you to boarding school to keep you away from me.”

Jack shakes his head, “They sent me to boarding school so they wouldn’t have to deal with me.” He looks over, and takes the family portrait from Michelle. He looks hard at the boyish Silas, and mutters, “Fuck Dad, anyway. He knew exactly what he was doing to me, to both of us. It was all the same shit he went through. Thought he could make us just like him. We ran away just like he did, so I guess he got what he wanted.”

Michelle: “Even if we can’t be there, we need to be looking out for Seth.”

Jack: “Yeah, but how?” Michelle glances down at the family portrait.

  * Silas’s office, Thomasina delivers an envelope, “It’s addressed from Jack and Michelle.”



Silas: “Is it a bomb?”

Thomasina: “It’s been thoroughly examined and tested, and there’s nothing suspicious. It looks like it really is from them.”

Silas takes the envelope and stares at it. He opens it gently. He pulls out the contents.

On top, a piece of paper, “Family history repeats itself. Tell Seth. J+M” Silas moves the letter, and reveals a picture of Jack and Michelle standing on the front steps of the farmhouse. He moves the picture, and sees the family portrait underneath it. He drops it.

Silas, “What the hell is that?!”

Thomasina steps up, concerned, “Sir?”

Silas: “Where the fuck did they get that?!”

Thomasina looks down and sees the family portrait.

Silas: “They’re doing this to hurt me! They’re torturing me!”

Rose comes into the office, “What’s going on?”

Silas points frantically at the portrait, unable to articulate his rage, “They did that! They did that!”

Rose goes over and picks up the contents of the package. She looks over all of it, and covers her mouth with her hand.

Silas, hysterical, “Why would they do this?! Why? They want to hurt me! They want to kill me!”

Rose goes over and hugs Silas as tightly as she can, “I’m sure they just wanted to know the truth, Silas.”

Silas, “Why would they want to know the truth, if they aren’t going to use it against me?! They ran away just like I did! They learned how much I wanted to kill my father and now they’re sending me his picture as a warning! This is a threat about what happens next!”

Rose: “They’re just looking out for their brother.”

Silas sobs into Rose’s shoulder, “Why are they doing this to me? Why are they doing this? Why are they doing this?”


	14. S3, E2: The Snitch

**“The Snitch”**

Robert and James sit in the back seat of a car, Robert snoozing against the window, and James snacking on a box of gummy bears. Up in the front seat, Doug looks at his phone while another AFG soldier, Betty, drives.

Betty, “We’re coming up on Nob now, where are we supposed to meet them?”

Doug, “Nob Presbyterian. I’ve got it on Maps, I’ll tell you where to go.” He types in a text message on his phone.

James licks a gummi bear and flings it at Robert’s face. Robert flinches, but continues to snooze, with the gummi bear stuck to his face. James laughs quietly, licks another one, and flings it at Robert.

Robert wipes the sticky bears off of his face, “Cut it out, man!”

James reaches over and flicks Robert’s ear.

Robert opens his eyes and yells, “Cut it out, or I’ll kick your ass!”

Betty, "Oh my god, it was a mistake going on a road trip with brothers.”

Doug looks back from his phone, "Can you two at least wait until we get to the church before killing each other?”

Robert and James continue to play-fight.

Robert, “Can’t promise anything!”

Doug and Betty exchange weary looks.

Betty, “We’re almost there.”

Doug looks back at his phone and continues texting.

James sees Doug on his phone and says, “Who the hell do you keep texting?”

Doug, “No one.”

James, “No one?”

Doug, “Just friends in other groups. You know what friends are, right?”

James, “You can’t have that many friends, man! You’re always on your phone!”

Doug, “We’re almost to the church. David’s gonna be there, right?”

Robert, “Said he would.”

Doug, “Good.”

  * In the church basement, David is greeted by Asher, Shay, Joel, and Isaiah. Asher introduces David to several other clergymen and women, including some nuns, a couple of other Rabbis, and an Imam.



Asher: “This is the network Samuels first set up. Religious leaders who can offer their places of worship as sanctuaries and places to meet. The very first rebel meetings were in church basements just like this one. We’ve got other groups going into other churches. We can gather as many soldiers as we can here in Nob, and then move into Shiloh. As soon as Monique gets here, we can build an actual plan for doing that.”

David: “It’s almost like we know what we’re doing.”

Asher: “Hey, my parents want you to join us for Shabbat dinner. Sound good?”

David: “Are you kidding me? A home cooked meal sounds incredible.”

  * David and the AFG leadership crowding around a large map of Shiloh.



Monique points to various neighborhoods, “These neighborhoods already have enough AFG support in them, we just need to show up, and they’re ours. There’s a few police stations, if we can take those over, we will officially be the law in this part of Shiloh.”

Shay: “I’m gonna need to know what’s inside the police stations. What their layout is, how they’re protected. I may have to go look at them in person, or send a spy to do it for me. But with that all figured out, I think the Queens can make quick work of it.”

Joel: “If we set up barricades and checkpoints, we can keep Silas’s army out, and from there, we’ll be able to go into other neighborhoods.”

David: “So what do we do after that, just take over the whole city?”

Shay: “That’s one possibility.”

David: “These are residential neighborhoods. I don’t want any civilian deaths. None, zero. How can we guarantee civilians won’t be hurt?”

Jack: “We can’t. The riots in Shiloh haven’t had any deaths yet, but if Dad thinks you’re in Shiloh, it’ll be open season on protesters and resisters.”

David sighs heavily and sinks into his seat, “Does anyone else have any other idea how we can do this? I know it’s not going to be easy, I just want to know what all our options are. I want to know how to do this without innocent people dying.”

Jack: “There was Laura’s option of going to Ammon. But I think if we’re trying to take down a tyrant, the best way to do it is to aim straight at his heart. The best way to save lives is to do it all as quickly as possible.”

Joel: “We can designate civilian defense forces. Find ways to protect people wanted by Silas.”

Monique: “If Silas starts killing people, we can use that to our advantage. Silas the murderer, David the savior.”

David: “I don’t want to use death to our advantage.”

Monique: “It’s an advantage. We should use it.”

David: “Okay. Let’s get in touch with the group leaders, see if we can figure out the best way to start moving into Shiloh.”

The door opens, and Doug sticks his head in.

He sees David, and smiles, “Hey, someone said you were here, I wanted to make sure you made it okay.”

Jack: “This is a top-secret meeting!”

David: “It’s fine. Yeah, everyone’s here, we’re just trying to figure out what happens next.”

Jack: “Would you mind letting us continue our meeting?”

Doug: “Sure. I’m just glad you’re here.” He shuts the door.

Jack eyes the door suspiciously, “We can’t fuck around with security, David. This is a secret meeting. Our secrets need to stay secret. We need to make sure the doors get locked.”

David: “It’s fucking Doug, man, oh, crap! Shouldn’t swear in church. Anyway, I’ll remember to lock the door next time.”

Jack: “We have an escape plan, right?”

Asher, “There’s a farm about ten miles away that has a hidden shelter underneath its barn from the days during the war. I wouldn’t bring us anywhere we couldn’t get out of.”

  * Out in the hallway, Doug waits, staring intensely at the door. It opens, and people start coming out.



Doug goes up to David, “Hey, man, what’s up?”

David, sighing tiredly, “A lot of things. Feeling pretty overwhelmed. James and Robert are with you, right?”

Doug, “Yeah, they’re in the basement setting up their cots, I think.”

David, “Okay, cool.”

He starts to walk off, but Doug speaks up, “You want to get some dinner or something?”

David, “What?”

Doug, shrugs, “Just wanted to check in, make sure you’re okay.”

David, “Everyone’s going to Asher’s parents later.”

Doug, “Oh, okay. I’ll leave you to that, then.”

David, “We’re not leaving for a while, I mean. If you wanted to talk to me, we can.” He looks like he needs someone to talk to. Doug grins.

  * Up in the sanctuary, the imam leads a small group of Muslim AFG members in sundown prayers. David and Doug sit in the pews, quietly talking.



David, “I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing. I spent six months trying to put everything together, and now what?”

Doug, “Do you have any plans?”

David shrugs, “The obvious thing would be to go to Shiloh, isn’t it?”

David goes on, “I don’t care about putting myself in danger, but now I’ve got an entire army. I look at everyone on the CheckIn app, everyone’s still listed as safe and alive, and I know that… that’s going to change. As soon as I start fighting…. people are gonna die, because of the decision I made.”

Doug, “C’mon, you had to have known this would happen when you agreed to do this whole leader thing.”

David, “That was six months ago. I couldn’t even imagine being here, actually facing down this decision. Guess I shoulda realized then that I hate making decisions like this. I’d rather be getting shot at and just making it up, no time to think.”

Doug, “You don’t really have to justify split-second decisions.”

David looks at Doug, “Hm?”

Doug, “Shit you do in the heat of the moment, all you have to say is, ‘I did what I had to.’ Shit you actually think about, you have to give an excuse for why you thought it was a good idea.”

David smiles a little bit, “Yeah.”

Doug shakes his head, “It’s not easy, man, but I think you’re gonna be pretty good at it. You wouldn’t have made it this far if you weren’t. I trust you. Everyone here trusts you. If that means some of us are gonna die, we can die knowing it’s for the right thing.”

David sighs heavily, “Thanks, man. I just hope that’s true.”

Asher enters the sanctuary, “Hey, David, we’re leaving. You coming?”

David, “Yeah,” he turns to Doug, “Thanks for talking to me. See you later.”

Doug, “See ya.” He watches David leave. As the doors close, he exits the sanctuary, and finds an empty room. He takes out his phone and calls someone.

o In Shiloh, Reinhardt answers, “Please fucking tell me that Shepherd is there.”

Doug, “He’s here, but he’s going out.”

Reinhardt, “Did they say where?”

Doug, “No.”

Reinhardt, “Fuck!” he thinks for a moment, “All right, just stay where you are. I’ll message you when everything is in position. You’ve done good, Doug.”

Doug, “Thank you, Director."

  * The evening, Asher introduces David and the other leaders to his parents, Leo and Nora.



David: “I usually look better.”

Nora: “Oh, not a problem.”

Cut to Leo saying the shabbat prayer while everyone looks on. Everyone serves dinner.

Nora: “You know, when Asher was ordained as a Rabbi, I thought there was no way I could ever be prouder of him. Then he started talking about this resistance, he mentioned Ephraim Samuels, I thought, oh, no, this isn’t going to end well. When I didn’t hear from him for a week, I started to get worried, but then, I see Asher on the news standing next to David Shepherd, giving a speech about King Silas. I think my son’s never going to be able to come home again, but he’s in good hands. He’s with good people. And then I get a phone call, he says he’s coming home. And now here he is, back in time for dinner. This is a miracle. There’s something very special about this movement. There’s something very special about the people leading it. And I can say that I have never been prouder of my son than I am tonight. I hope he continues to make me even prouder.”

Asher smiles sheepishly, “Thank you, Mom.”

David, “I promise you, Mrs. Levinson, I will do everything I can to help Asher make you proud.”

  * In Shiloh, Silas stands and watches the nightly protests begin. Police fire tear gas into the crowd, but protesters pull on gas masks. One protester lights a molotov cocktail and hurls it at a police car. The surrounding police jump to escape the flames. Rioters reach the police car, and beat the windows and lights. The push it out into the middle of the square, and people begin to tip it over. One protester drops a match in the gas tank, and it explodes as protesters cheer.



In the palace, Silas gives an order, “Bring Seth here.”

An aide brings Seth.

Silas beckons him to come look, “Do you see all these people? Do you see what they’re doing?”

Seth: “They’re burning a police car.”

Silas: “They’re trying to overthrow me. They want David Shepherd to be king in my place. They want to cause chaos. But I’m not going to let them. Do you want to see what a king does?”

Seth doesn’t answer, and looks between Silas and the riot below.

Silas speaks into a radio and gives an order, “Open fire.”

The police begin to fire guns into the crowd, and rioters fall, injured and bleeding. The crowd runs away in a panic, and police continue to fire as they clear the square.

Silas: “A king creates order out of chaos. He defeats his enemies. A king has the respect of his people.”

A door opens and Reinhardt, beaming, enters, “Sir, we have everything in position.”

  * Back in Nob, David & co pile into an SUV and say goodbye to the Levinsons. Asher is staying with his parents for the night.



o In the church, AFG members tuck into their beds for the night while Doug paces nervously. Betty tells the other group members that she’s going to go and grab some snacks at the convenience store across the street, but she’ll be back.

Doug’s phone buzzes, he has a text: “We’re in position.”

Doug texts back, “Go.”

o In the MSS building situation room, Reinhardt, Abner, and a group of officers watch on a group of TV monitors.

Reinhardt, “Go.”

o A team of soldiers bursts through the front door of the church, and Doug calmly points them to the basement.

Upstairs, a reverend comes running at the sound, but then dives back into the safety of his office. He grabs a radio and yells into it, “The army is here! We’ve been found! We’ve been found!”

o In the SUV, Joel, in the front seat beside David, grabs the radio, “What? What’s happening?!”

Radio, “The army is raiding the church, don’t come back here, we’ve been found!” The sound of gunfire.

Cut to the office, where the reverend lies in a pool of blood, Doug holding a gun up behind him.

o In the situation room, Reinhardt gives orders, “Good job, Doug!”

Abner, “Shepherd, we’re looking for Shepherd!”

Reinhardt, “And we’ll find him!”

o All across Nob, army units break down the doors of churches and shoot at the AFG members hiding there.

o In the SUV, David panics but tries to stay calm, “We have to go get Asher.”

Joel: “We can’t! We have to get to the farm he told us about!”

David: “We can’t leave him!”

Shay: “We’re all gonna die if we go back, if you keep driving, we might be able to escape!”

o In the situation room, Abner, “He’s not in any of the churches!”

Reinhardt, “There’s one more place he might be hiding.”

o At the Levinsons, soldiers break down the front door. Leo and Nora jump up to see them, but are gunned down. The back door is open, and Asher runs for his life down a back alley.

o In the SUV, Abby gives careful instructions off of her phone, “Just keep doing down Cyprus Street until you reach Fremont Avenue, and turn left. Fremont goes to 501, that will take us to the farm.”

o At the other churches, AFG members manage to escape and make it into cars, where they begin the drive away. Clergymen heroically dive in front of bullets to save lives.

o In the convenience store, Betty, with an armful of junk food, gapes in horror at the sight of military vehicles in front of the church.

o In one church basement, a fighter, Ryan, pushes an upright piano in the army’s path, and fires from behind it. Liam joins him as Adam ushers others out of the church. When the last fighter is out, Adam rushes over to Liam and Ryan, grabs their shoulders, and pulls them out of the fight.

o In the SUV, stopped at a red light, David looks down the street they’re supposed to turn down, which ends in an army block point.

David: “Shit. It’s blocked. We need another way.”

Abby: “If this street’s blocked, they’re all blocked.”

Jack: “We have guns, just drive at them and shoot!”

Michelle, very calmly, stands up as best she can, “Open the sunroof.”

David: “What?”

Michelle: “I don’t have a wanted poster, which means Silas wants me to stay alive, which means they have orders not to shoot me. Open the sunroof and drive.” David complies.

o Asher, wild eyed and terrified, approaches the church, sees the vehicles out front, and ducks into the convenience store.

Betty sees him, “Rabbi!”

Asher, breathless, “What the fuck is happening?!”

Betty: “I don’t know, I think somebody snitched!”

The cashier looks at them, “Hey do you two need a place to hide? You can go into our storage room.”

o In the SUV, Michelle stands all the way up. David turns onto the blocked road, Michelle clearly visible at the top of the car. David begins to speed up. Jack rolls down his window, sticks his gun out, and shoots at the soldiers, and Shay follows suit.

Michelle spreads her arms out, completely calm and fearless as the wind whips her clothes around her and streetlights flash over her face. Soldiers run out of the way as the SUV approaches. Michelle closes her eyes, tilts her head back and feels the wind on her face.

Jack looks back at her, “Michelle, get down!” He dives in and pulls her down as the SUV crashes into the barriers and keeps going. They speed away into the night.

  * In Shiloh, Silas, Abner and Reinhardt get briefed by a soldier over the radio “We followed our orders exactly, we saw the princess and didn’t shoot.”



Abner, furious, “Shepherd got away!”

Radio: “We don’t have confirmation that Shepherd was in the car with her.”

Abner: “Of course he fucking was, Michelle was protecting him!”

Reinhardt, “We did everything we could.”

Silas: “What are the casualties?”

Reinhardt: “It’s too early to gather an accurate number, but it appears that a number of the dead are clergy who worked with Samuels.”

Silas: “Does that include Shepherd’s rabbi?”

Reinhardt: “A raid was sent to his parents’ house, but he wasn’t there. He may still be among the unidentified dead.”

Abner, “Silas, I have an issue to address with you, and it might be best if we discuss this in private.”

Silas, “Not now, Linus. Have you gotten in touch with your mole?”

Reinhardt, “Not yet, sir, I gave him instructions to flee with the rest of the AFG is he could.”

Silas, “Excellent. When he comes back, I’m going to make him very famous. You’ve done very good, too, Caesar. Shepherd won’t be able to run forever.”

Reinhardt beams, "Thank you, your majesty.”

Abner, “There is one issue that we very much need to discuss!”

Silas snaps “I don’t want to talk about Michelle right now. I’m tired and I want to go to bed. You are both dismissed.”

Everyone gets up. Reinhardt leaves.

Abner goes over to Silas and stops him, “This must be addressed now. We should have addressed it months ago.”

Silas: “I told you, I can’t order my troops to fire on Michelle!”

Abner, “Then let me give the order.”

Silas steps away from him, “No!”

Abner: “If you can’t do what’s necessary, you might as well hand deliver the crown to Shepherd!”

Silas sits down, “Would you give the order to shoot your own daughter?”

Abner: “If she had turned against you, yes.”

Silas: “I held her, right after she was born, and her lips were blue. The doctor told me that she needed open-heart surgery, that she needed it now, and I couldn’t hold her any longer. Afterwards, she came out, and she was full of so many tubes and wires, I still couldn’t hold her. Machines breathed for her, pumped the blood her heart couldn’t. She had two more operations before she turned three. And she got better. She seemed healthy, for a while, but then her heart began to fail, and they had to give her a new one. And she survived, and she thrived, and she was so alive and so happy. Could you watch your daughter do all that, and then give an order to kill her?”

Abner sits down next to Silas, “I’m not one to comment on your personal life, Silas, but, I think if there’s one mistake you made as a parent, it was raising Jack to be king instead of Michelle to be queen. She’s _your_ daughter. She takes after you. She’s fought just like you’ve fought. She has your nerve, your spirit, and your will, and she is _angry_. She’s not a little girl anymore. She has the ability to destroy us, and she _will_ do it. Please, you don’t have to give the order. Just let me do it. It doesn’t mean that she’ll be killed. It just means that she’ll be stopped.”

Silas wipes a tear from his eye, “Fine. If there’s no choice.”

Abner: “You have to let Jack and Michelle go and focus on preparing Seth to be king.”

Silas, “I am preparing him. And don’t ever comment on my personal life again.”

  * Outside of Nob, a van full of AFG soldiers, driven by Liam, Adam and Ryan in the back seats, drives down a dark road. Inside, someone holds a bandaged arm. Up ahead, a roadblock shines in the headlights.



Liam, “Shit!”

Adam throws his jacket over the girl with the wounded arm.

Adam, “We’re a young adult ministry coming back from Shiloh!”

Liam looks back at him, “What?”

Adam climbs behind the rear seat of the van, “We’re going home to Dora, we’re building homes for the needy, just go with it!” He ducks down behind the seat. The van rolls to a stop. Liam rolls down the front window, and a soldier shines a flashlight in his eyes.

Soldier, “Where are you going tonight?”

Liam, “Uh, to Dora?”

In the back, Adam carefully slips out of the back door of the van. A couple of soldiers come around to check the back of the van, and Adam hurries behind some nearby trees.

The interrogating soldier asks Liam, “Where are you coming from?”

Liam, “Shiloh.”

One of the soldiers at the back of the van, looking at the license plate, “It’s a church van!”

Liam, “We’re a young adult ministry, we’ve been building homes for the needy.”

Soldier, “Get out of the van, keep your hands where we can see them.” As Liam undoes his seatbelt, he looks back in fear at the rear of the van. Quietly, everyone gets out and stands on the side of the road, across from where Adam is hiding. Soldiers begin to search the van.

Interrogating soldier, “What church are you affiliated with?”

Liam, “Uh, Shiloh Baptist?” Suddenly, an explosion a short distance from the soldiers. As the soldiers turn to look, Adam opens fire from his hiding spot. The interrogating soldier turns around, and Liam grabs his own gun and shoots him. Ryan also opens fire. Adam fires at the remaining soldiers while the AFG recruits scramble to get back into the van. Adam jumps back into the back of the van, and Liam in the front seat. The van tears away. A huge smile appears on Liam’s face, “Holy shit!”

  * David and everyone stand in a barn.



A farmer opens up a hidden door in the floor, “The shelter was put in during the war. It’s only meant for four, but you can all fit in there for a short while. Never thought I’d be using it again.”

David: “Thanks.”

Everyone climbs into the dark space below.

Farmer: “There’s a light. I’ll turn it off if soldiers arrive and search the place, turn it back on when they leave.”

Joel: “Someone has to hide the car.”

Isaiah: “I’ll do it. I can run the fastest.”

David: “If you need a quick place to hide, just climb a tree. No one ever thinks to look up.”

Isaiah: “All right, I’ll be back.” Isaiah exits the shelter, and the farmer shuts the door.

Jack: “Who gets the beds?”

David: “Well, obviously, Michelle gets one, she saved all of our fucking lives.”

Michelle smiles and gets into a lower bunk, “All in a day’s work.”

David: “I guess ladies should get the luxury. Abby, Monique, Shay, enjoy your bunks.”

The women climb into their bunks while the men find comfortable patches of floor.

David sits and leans his head against the wall, “I think this means we can’t do Shiloh. We have to think of something else.” He sighs heavily, thinks for a moment, and then pulls out his phone, “Don’t forget to check in before you turn your phones off.”

He opens the CheckIn app and checks himself as SAFE. He looks to see who else is safe. He sees James, Robert, and Ethan are all safe. He looks for Doug, and sees that he’s safe. He smiles faintly, and then looks for Asher, who is listed as MISSING. David stares at the phone, eyebrows knit in concern. The light goes out.


	15. S3, E3: A New Day

**“A New Day”**

Morning news report, female news anchor: “Good morning. At least sixty are dead tonight after a series of raids in the city of Nob and violent protests in Shiloh. In Nob, large numbers of agents of the Army of Free Gilboa were found hiding in churches and other places of worship across the city, believed to be a part of a rebel network set up by Reverend Ephraim Samuels. A number of rebel soldiers and clergy are among the dead, but it remains unclear if any members of the AFG leadership are included. It has been confirmed that the parents of Rabbi Asher Levinson were killed, but the Rabbi himself remains officially missing. The palace has issued no official statement, but it has added Princess Michelle Benjamin to the list of wanted AFG leadership. In Shiloh, a peaceful protest turned deadly when armed agents of the AFG opened fire on policemen who had no choice but to fire back. As of now, the square outside the palace remains clear, and no further protesters have come back. In Gath, the Gilboan army continues to make way into the borderlands, but fighting around the Port of Prosperity remains intense.”

  * David sits listening to the morning news reports, still in the shelter with everyone else, “So what the fuck are we supposed to do now?”



Shay: “Go somewhere else, obviously.”

David: “Yeah, but where? Asher’s the one who knew where all the safe houses are. He’s the only one who understood the network, and… he didn’t come back last night.”

Shay: “You heard the news report. They aren’t saying he’s dead yet, and nobody’s confirmed they saw him die.”

David: “I think we need to be realistic about what happened last night.”

Shay: “And I’m saying, based on my experience, we shouldn’t believe someone’s dead until we see a fucking body.”

Jack, “We need to establish what happened last night.”

David, “We got found out is what happened.”

Jack, “Yeah, but how did we get found? Were we followed to Nob, or do we have a mole?”

The shelter door opens. David looks up and sees Isaiah and the farmer standing at the entrance.

Isaiah: “I spent last night sleeping in a tree, just like you told me to. You owe my ass cheeks an apology.”

David: “Hey, you’re still alive.”

Isaiah: “The army’s gone, but they’ll probably be back to search again, so the quicker we can get out of here, the better.”

  * Back to the drawing board, everyone sits on the bunks, thinking of a new plan.



David: “There has to be somewhere Silas can’t find us.”

Abby: “Gath won’t let us in again. Blow up one Goliath, shame on you, blow up two Goliaths, shame on me.”

David: “What about… the desert? Carmel, near the border? I know people don’t like Silas very much there, and if we find somewhere isolated, it could be a good place to regroup and make plans.”

Shay: “How the fuck are we gonna get there?”

David: “We made it from Gath to Nob without being caught, we can try the same thing, hiding in plain sight.”

Joel: “That’s not gonna work again, they know what to look for.”

David rubs his eyes, “Then I don’t know.”

The shelter door opens again, and everyone looks up. Asher and Betty walk in.

David stands up, “Asher! Oh my god, I am so, so sorry!” He goes over and hugs Asher as tightly as he can.

Asher: “It’s… it’s okay. I made it here.”

David: “What the fuck happened?”

Asher: “I don’t know, I heard the message over the radio, so I ran out the back door, and I heard gunshots…” his eyes fill with tears and his voice shakes, “I don’t- I don’t remember a whole lot of it, but I went in the direction of the church, and there were all these army vehicles in front of it, so I went into this convenience store, and Betty was there, and the cashier hid us in the storage room until everything was over, and he drove us here. So we’re alive.”

Betty waves at everyone awkwardly, “Hi, I’m Betty. I’m alive because I went and bought some snacks.”

David: “This is all my fault. Your parents are dead because of me. I am so sorry.”

Asher: “My parents are dead because of Silas. I’m not gonna let him kill my parents and get away with it, fuck no. Do you know what we’re gonna do next?”

David: “I- I was thinking maybe we can go to the desert, hide out in the middle of nowhere for a while, but I have no idea how to get there. Driving around like we were isn’t going to work anymore.”

Joel: “I think I have an idea. It’s a shitty idea, but it’s an idea.”

David turns around, “What?”

Joel: “In prison, I did a favor for someone who just so happens to conduct his business with the use of small airplanes. He can probably get us to Carmel, but we need a way to get there.”

Asher pulls out his phone, and goes over to Joel.

He shows him a map, “Where are the planes?”

Joel points to an area, “Here.”

Asher: “Look, it’s just on the other side of this national park, there’s hiking trails that go through it. If we can handle a few nights camping, that can get us there.”

David: “Spending the night in the fucking woods again. Okay, let’s do it.”

  * In Shiloh, Rose prepares for a big society gala. She barks off orders to Thomasina about the decorations, the food, the guest list.



Thomasina: “Ma’am, I have a few concerns that a party of this magnitude right after the riots will seem in poor taste.”

Rose: “It’s a charity fundraiser! It’s been scheduled for months! I’ve never cancelled before, and I’m not going to cancel now. Besides, this is my first party since the new heir arrived, I have to show the world that I’m still queen.”

Thomasina: “Perhaps we can just reschedule.”

Rose: “No! Everything will go on tomorrow night as planned!”

Thomasina: “Very well, ma’am.”

Rose: “The Gilboan Heart Association has always been very important to this family. I need to speak with Helen. Where is she?”

  * In another room, Helen is fitted into a beautiful white gown. Seth looks on.



Helen, “What do you think?”

Seth: “You look beautiful!”

Helen laughs and holds her hands out, “Come dance with me!” They dance happily as Rose enters. Helen stops and sees Rose.

Seth, “Doesn’t my mom look beautiful?”

Rose looks icily at the two of them, trying to hold back memories of when she and Jack would do the same, “Might I speak with you privately, Helen?”

Helen, “Of course.” Seth leaves.

Helen: “What do you think of the fit? Does it need any changes?”

Rose: “The fit is fine. Rinaldo always does a good job. I just don’t know if the dress is right.”

Helen: “What’s wrong?”

Rose: “It’s the wrong color for you.”

Rinaldo, the tailor, “I have other selections you can try.”

Helen, deflated, “I really like this dress, but, if you insist, you’re the queen.” Helen changes out of the dress and into a robe.

Rose sits down on a sofa, “Come and sit with me.”

Helen sits, “What do you want to talk about?”

Rose: “Tomorrow night is very important.”

Helen, “I understand. I’ll do my best not to overshadow you.”

Rose: “You’re going to be giving a speech, actually.”

Helen, “I’m sorry, what?”

Rose: “I’m having a speech writer put one together for you. Because of Michelle, this family has always supported the Gilboan Heart Association, but Michelle is gone, and Seth is here. You should be the one to speak.”

Helen: “I’ve never wanted to be the face of the monarchy.”

Rose: “Well, considering your son is its future, it’s time for you to step up.”

Helen: “I’ve never spoken in public before. Perhaps this is the wrong event.”

Rose: “People thinks events like these are frivolous, but they’re wrong. Events like this are where the people meet the monarchy. Events like this are where ideas are exchanged, and deals made. It’s where the monarchy creates its image. Events like this are where I made Silas king.”

Helen, “All right, just try to keep the speech short and not too complicated.”

Rinaldo enters with a rack of dresses, “Here are your other options.”

Helen goes over and looks through them, “I really like that white one.” She turns to Rose, “What was wrong with it?”

Rose: “The white was too virginal.”

  * In a fancy boutique dressing room, Chloe spins around in a big, fluffy, sparkly princess dress, “This is so cool!”



Andrew looks at his phone, and mutters, “Mhm.”

Chloe, “I’ve never been to a big fancy gala before. I went to the palace on school field trips and shit when I was a kid, but I’ve never been like… invited. Can you introduce me to Queen Rose?”

Andrew keeps looking at his phone, “Oh, fuck.”

Chloe, “What?”

Andrew, “My mother is going to be there.”

Chloe, “Aaaaw I want to meet your mom.”

Andrew, “My mother is the gold-digging bride of Satan.”

Chloe, “That sounds fun.”

Andrew casts Chloe a disdainful look, and then says, “Whatever you do, don’t agree to brunch with her. She’s good friends with my Aunt Rose, so she’ll try to tempt you with that. I try to keep her out of my life, and that will be significantly more difficult if she thinks you’re one of her friends.”

Chloe, "Got it.”

Andrew, “This ball is very important. It’s my opportunity to introduce myself as the new head of the Cross family in Gilboa. I need you to act the part.”

Chloe, “So don’t say anything and just stare at you like you’re fucking amazing. I can do that.”

Andrew, “Exactly.”

  * Dusk in the woods. A large campsite is set up, and in the middle, David builds a fire, “I may not know how to build a nation, but I can build a fucking fire!”



Abby: “Are we going to be seen?”

Asher: “Campers and hikers go through here all the time, there’s no way of telling us from any other.”

Jack: “Yeah, except we’re way more armed than your average camper.”

Michelle: “Do we have anything to eat?”

Joel: “We got trail mix, beef jerky, and ramen out the ass.”

Shay looks at her phone, “Hey, David, you seen this?”

David, “Seen what?”

Shay, “One of our vans made a pretty epic get-away from a traffic stop. I’ve got a bunch of messages about it.”

David goes over and looks. He sees the name “Adam Solano” on the screen and smiles, “Wherever it is we re-group, I want to meet with them. It’ll be good if we can work some kind of hero story out of last night.”

He looks over and sees Asher sitting a ways off by himself.

David glances back at Shay, “See if you can contact them. Tell them I said good job.”

He goes over to where Asher sits, “Hey, is there anything I can do for you right now?”

Asher looks away deep in thought.

David sits down next to him, “Are you okay?”

Later, Asher goes off by himself to sit quietly.

David sees him and follows, “Hey, is there anything I can do for you right now?” David sits down next to Asher.

Asher: “I can’t even go to their funeral. I hope they’ve been buried by now. In Jewish custom, the dead aren’t supposed to go unburied for more than a day. The treatment of the body, that’s a big deal. It’s probably not a big deal to fucking Silas,” he sighs, “The burial society will take care of them. I know they’ll be given a proper funeral, even if I’m not there. I’m supposed to sit Shiva for a week. I never ever thought that I’d be in a position where I wouldn’t be able to sit Shiva for my parents.” He breaks down sobbing.

David, “You can still pray. I’ll pray with you.”

Asher wipes his face, “Do you know the Kaddish?”

David: “No, but you do.”

Asher shifts, he sits up, and takes David’s hands. Asher recites the mourner’s Kaddish in a halting, sobbing voice.

Asher: “Amen.”

David: “Amen.”

Asher sniffs, “Thank you.”

David: “What does all that mean?”

Asher: “Praise God, basically. Praise God, praise God, praise God.”

  * The next morning, everyone packs up camp while a radio play the morning news: “In the Borderlands, Gilboan progress has ground to a halt outside the town of Bethlehem, notable as the hometown of rebel leader, David Shepherd. Since the declaration of autonomy for the borderlands, support for the Army of Free Gilboa is believed to be strong there, and citizens may be taking up arms against the Gilboan army.”



David: “There has to be some kind of way I can tell people not to fight the army, at least not without some sort of organization and a plan.”

Monique: “You can probably create some sort of voice recording and put it online where people will see it, but we can’t do that in the middle of the woods.”

David: “Fuck!”

The news report goes on: “Tonight will see the palace’s first social even since the defections of Prince Jack and Princess Michelle. A benefit for the Gilboan Heart Association is being held, and many members of Shiloh’s high society are expected to be in attendance.”

Jack: “That’s Mom for you, throw a huge fucking party two days after Dad murders a bunch of people.”

Michelle: “I just want to see what Rose is going to wear to remind everyone that she’s still queen.”

Monique: “You know, I always wanted to go to one of those society events. Wear my biggest, fanciest dress, pile on some mink and some diamonds, put my hair up as high as I can, and just listen to all those rich bitches gossip.”

Michelle: “Usually, the topic of conversation is Jack’s latest fuckup, so, yeah, tonight should be extra lively.”

Jack: “Who’s boning who, and who wants to bone who is also very popular. Jesus, can you just imagine what those bored cougars must be saying about David?”

David: “Can you do me a favor and not tell me?”

  * That evening, Helen stands wearing a tasteful navy dress while Seth, in his pajamas, smiles up at her.



Seth, “You’re going to do awesome, Mom!”

Helen: “Thank you, Seth.”

Rose enters, done up in her fullest glam: she wears a sexy red gown that dominates the room.

Rose, contemptuously, “Are you ready?”

Helen: “Almost.”

o Rose exits the dressing room, and Thomasina approaches her, “Ma’am, Christine Frisk is here to see you.”

Behind her, Christine, Andrew’s mother and William’s ex-wife, enters. She wears an age-inappropriate slinky dress, enormous diamond jewelry, and carries a martini in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

Christine, “Rose, you cold-hearted bitch.”

Rose smiles warmly, “Christine, you dried up old whore.” They exchange air kisses.

Christine, “You should see what Lydia Reinhardt is wearing. I can’t believe that bitch had a baby two weeks ago.”

Rose, “Nothing a good surgeon can’t fix. She must have gone to yours.”

Christine, “Dr. Dubrow is a saint and I won’t have you sully his good name.” She grins, and she and Rose exchange laughs.

Christine, “How are you, Rose?”

Rose, “To be honest, I’ve been better.”

Christine, “Haven’t we all?”

Rose, “How have you been?”

Christine, “I’ve got an enormous mansion, a new husband, a son who won’t speak to me, and an ex-husband who had to flee the country. I’m just fine.”

Helen exits the dressing room, “I’m ready, now.”

Rose casts a contemptuous side-eye, and mutters, “I have that to deal with.”

She turns around and says, “Helen, I’d like to introduce you to my dear friend, Christine Frisk.”

Helen approaches, “Hello, it’s very nice to meet you.”

Christine, “So you’re the mother of the new heir I’ve heard so much about.”

Helen, “Yes, Seth is my son.”

Christine, “Well, at least you’re pretty,” she turns to Rose, “I’ll see you in the ballroom, Rose.”

Rose, “I’ll see you there, too.”

  * Down in the ballroom, Andrew talks to a businessman, Chloe hanging dutifully on his arm.



Andrew, “I was shocked and saddened by my father’s actions, which I had no idea about, of course. I’m doing my best to repair what damage has been done. I can only hope that investors will put their faith in me.”

Chloe, “Do you like guns?”

From behind them, Christine’s voice, “Andrew!”

Andrew grimaces, “And if you will please excuse me, I hear my mother.” The businessman steps away. Andrew turns around and sees Christine, “Hello, mother.”

Christine, “It’s a shame that you and I have to go to the same social function just to speak to each other. Come here.” She hugs him and kisses him on both cheeks.

Andrew hastily steps away, “This is my fiancée, Chloe Bridges.”

Chloe, “Hi!”

Christine hugs her and gives her air kisses, “Hello, darling, so pleased to finally meet you,” she steps back, “I’m sure you’ll be very happy married to Andrew. I did my best with him.”

Chloe, “You’re friends with Queen Rose?”

Christine, “Oh, yes, Rose and I go very far back. I knew her when she was just another spoiled teenage girl who hated her parents. We got along great. I’m sure she’ll want to know you if you’re joining the Cross family.”

Andrew, “I can’t talk for very long, Mother, I have forged some new relationships as the leader of CrossGen in Gilboa.”

Christine, “Oh, please, half the people here are disappointed the coup failed. They’ll suck it up to anyone named Cross.”

  * At the stairwell, the sergeant-at-arms steps up, “Announcing their royal majesties, King Silas and Queen Rose.” Everyone looks up and applauds respectfully as Rose and Silas wave and descend the stairs, cameras snapping. Behind them, Helen is escorted by a handsome army officer.



Christine leans in to Andrew, “Your father always loved the applause, and was so jealous of what Silas always received. But what is it? It’s just noise. He ruined his life and put yours in danger for noise. I know you always preferred William to me, but I hope you’ve come to see that he’s not as perfect as you once thought.”

Andrew, “Don’t speak to me again tonight.” He pulls Chloe away.

  * Cut to Rose standing at a podium, welcoming guests to the party, “The Gilboan Heart Association has always been vitally important to the royal family. In light of recent events, it’s still of immense importance, but I’m not the one who should speak of that. Tonight, that honor falls to Helen Pardis, mother of the future king of Gilboa.”



The crowd applauds, and Helen nervously approaches the podium. She looks down at the notes that have been prepared for her, and mumbles, “Good evening, honored guests, tonight we gather here to raise money for research into heart defects such as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which has so greatly affected both my life and the royal family.” She looks up and sees the unimpressed looks of those in the audience, and stumbles on, “New research offers new hope to those affected by such conditions…”

She puts the notes down, and her tone shifts. She begins making her own speech, “I- I’m not used to speaking as a member of the royal family. But I can speak as the mother of a child affected by a heart condition. My son is alive because of the miracles of modern science, but there’s still much to be done in terms of curing heart defects. When donating tonight, I urge you not to just think of Seth, who has been blessed with good health since his initial surgeries, but of other children who aren’t lucky enough to have a king for a father. This level of healthcare is incredibly costly, and many families are left with a lifetime of debt, simply so that their child may live. These are the children that need our help. Thank you.”

At their table, Silas: “How did Michelle make such a convincing Helen costume?”

Rose: “Shut up, Silas.”

  * Outside, Andrew chats with another guest, Chloe still at his side.



Christine approaches, “Chloe, dear, would you like to meet Rose?”

Andrew gives Christine a furious look, “I told you not to speak with me!”

Christine, “I’m speaking to Chloe, not you.”

Chloe, “That would be so cool!”

Christine, then come, on, I’ll introduce you.” She leads Chloe inside, where Rose chats with other guests.

Christine, “Rose, have you met Andrew’s fiancée?”

Rose turns around, “Oh, you must be Chloe.”

Chloe, star-struck, “You know my name!”

Rose, “Yes, I pay attention whenever the Cross name appears in the news. I couldn't help but see you there.” Chloe laughs and snorts.

Rose glances over and sees Helen chatting with Reinhardt, Lydia, and other guests.

Lydia: “Seth is so adorable. I can tell he has his father’s wisdom.”

Helen, “I certainly hope so.”

Another guest: “You must tell us, how has Rose been treating you? She’s always been so protective of her children, I can’t imagine she’s been doing well without them.”

Helen: “Rose’s relationship with her children is her own business, and I try to stay out of her way. She’s been nothing but gracious towards me.”

Rose, “If you will excuse me, I have a little business to attend to.” She goes sweeping over to where Helen chats.

Lydia: “Oh, your highness, we were just congratulating Helen on giving a lovely speech!”

Rose: “It was lovely, wasn’t it? Do you mind if I steal Helen way from you? I have someone I’d like to introduce her to.”

She pulls Helen away from them, “Never pull a stunt like that again.”

Behind them, a waiter steps into the crowd. A guest tries to ask for another glass of champagne, but gets ignored. The waiter reaches into his pocket, pulls out a detonator, and the bomb strapped to his chest explodes.

Helen and Rose dive to the ground. Reinhardt grabs Lydia to protect her. Chloe and Christine are knocked over. Outside, Andrew is safe, but he ducks. He looks around, sees the smoke and fire, and runs.

Inside, fire alarms blare, drowning out the other noises. Rose sits and looks around through the smoke and running guests, “Silas?! Silas!”

Suddenly, Silas swoops in out of nowhere, “Rose!” He grabs her and helps her up. Silas dashes her away to safety as a security guy comes in and helps Helen get up.

  * Silas and the security guy rush Rose and Helen into a safe room. Another security guy brings in a crying Seth.



Helen rushes over and hugs him, “Oh, sweetie, it’s all right, I’m all right!”

Silas: “I’m going back in!”

A security guard steps in front of him, “Sir, you know I can’t let you do that.”

Silas, “I can’t just hide here like a coward, I have to be seen leading my people! I’ve evacuated civilians before I know how to do it!”

Security guard, “We can’t put you at risk of a secondary attack!”

Silas, “Shepherd is behind this, and I have to be defiant! And somebody shut those FUCKING alarms off!”

Helen, "Silas, please, don’t do this!” She does her best to comfort Seth, still sobbing.

Rose, “There will be reporters outside soon, you can address them when it’s safe.”

Silas turns around, “Get Seth ready.”

Helen, “What?”

Silas, “I have an address to make!”

Helen, “Silas, please!”

Silas, “Get him ready! This is what a king does!”

  * In the woods, everyone once again eats dinner around a campfire.



A news report comes over the radio: “We’ve just received word of an explosion at the palace. As of yet, we have not received any report on the number of casualties.” Everyone looks at each other in shock.

David: “This… this wasn’t us! This can’t be us!”

News report: “If this is an attack, there are no indications yet as to whether or not it’s connected to the Army of Free Gilboa.”

David: “This wasn’t us!”

Abby: “David… I hate to say it, but it does kind of look like us. It could be someone who thinks they’re doing what we want.”

David: “I’ve always been clear, no civilian targets!”

Abby: “Or someone who thinks this is what we should be doing.”

David: “We have to confirm this wasn’t us!”

Isaiah: “This wasn’t us. At least, if it’s a bomb, it wasn’t one of my bombs. Every discrete bomb I made, I accounted for. They all got used. This wasn’t us.”

Abby, “If it wasn’t us, who was it?”

Isaiah, “It could have been a gas leak.”

Jack, “No way. Thomasina never let palace maintenance slip, especially when it came to safety.”

David: “I have to make a statement!”

Monique: “No cell phone signals this far into the woods.”

David: “Fuck! We have to keep going, then! Get somewhere I can tell people we didn’t do this!”

Abby: “David, I’m exhausted. We’re all exhausted, and we still have another ten miles to go.”

David: “So what am I supposed to do, then?!”

Abby shakes her head, “Wait.”

Monique: “We’ll make a statement as soon as we can, but Abby’s right. Nothing we can do right now.”

The news report goes on, “We’ve just received word from the palace, King Silas, Queen Rose, Prince Seth, and Helen Pardis are all safe. King Silas is set to make an address soon.”

David: “Jesus!”

  * In a safe place in the palace, Christine and Chloe hold hands and look anxiously on at the first responders and security guards watching the group and talking on walkie-talkies. Andrew approaches the group, and a security guy moves to stop him.



Andrew barks, “You know who I am!”

Security guy, “Yeah, your father tried to kill the king.”

Behind the security guy, Christine walks up, “Leave him alone, he’s harmless!” She goes over to Andrew and hugs him tightly. Quietly she asks him, “Are you all right?”

Andrew steps away, “I’m fine, Mother. Where’s Chloe?”

Chloe greets him with a big hug.

Andrew gently pushes her away, “I’m glad to see you’re both safe. What happened in there?”

Christine, “A bomb went off.”

Andrew, “What kind of a bomb?”

Christine, “A bomb!”

  * Outside the palace, Reinhardt, his tux ripped and disheveled, talks to security guards and first responders.



Reinhardt, “What the hell happened?”

Police officer, “There’s a big puddle of red goo on the ground and a head in the chandelier. Suicide bomber.”

Security guard, “I thought they only used those in Ammon.”

Reinhardt, “Not anymore.”

Beyond them, a massive group of news cameras and gawkers has gathered. Silas, surrounded by security men, steps out, Seth behind him.

Reinhardt sees him, “Sir!”

Silas approaches, “What the hell just happened?”

Reinhardt, “It looks like a suicide bomber, sir.”

Silas, “I can’t believe Shepherd would sink to this!”

Reinhardt, “At this time, we don’t know for sure-”

Silas, “You don’t know for sure, I know it was Shepherd! You go back to your office and you find that motherfucker!”

Reinhardt, “Can I at least wait until I hear that Lydia has made it home safely?”

Silas, “You have a cell phone!” He turns away, and sees the cameras all pointed at him.

  * Back in the woods, everyone gathers around the radio.



Radio announcer, “King Silas is talking to Director Reinhardt, it appears that Prince Seth is with him…”

Michelle, furious, “Why is Seth there?! Why is Seth there?!”

Jack puts one arm around her shoulder and gently puts his other hand over her mouth, quieting her. She pulls his hand away, but doesn’t say anything further.

At the palace, cameras flash and reporters scream questions as Silas approaches them. He puts his hand up, and says, “Enough!” Everyone goes quiet.

Silas, “The palace has been attacked by a suicide bomber. I was attacked in my own home, while a hosted a gathering to raise funds to help children. Only the lowest and foulest of cowards would carry out such an attack.”

David and Jack exchange tense looks.

o Up in the safe room, Helen and Rose watch on a television. In their location, Andrew, Chloe, and Christine watch on a phone. Silas goes on, “With this attack, David Shepherd has shown who he truly is!”

o In the woods, everyone reacts with disbelief and dismay as David listens intensely.

Silas, “Mark my word, he will not get away with this! I will not rest until I have his head! Gilboa is my country, and I took a sacred oath to keep it safe! Shepherd may be a coward, but I am not, and I will end him!”


	16. S3, E4: The Desert

**“The Desert”**

Silas and his advisors sit listening to a voice recording from David: “I, David Shepherd, and the Army of Free Gilboa, cannot condemn Friday night’s attack strongly enough. I have repeatedly forbidden any and all attacks on civilian targets. Any AFG member found planning such an attack will be punished accordingly. The AFG is not responsible for the attack, and I personally vow that suicide attacks will never, ever be used by us,” the message pauses, and David changes tone, “I don’t want anyone to die for me. I want my followers to live. This isn’t what I’m fighting for.” The message ends.

Silas: “What a load of bullshit, of course he’s behind the attack.”

Reinhardt grimaces slightly.

Silas: “What, do you believe him?”

Reinhardt: “A suicide attack is strongly out of character for Shepherd. He places too much on this notion of being noble. As much as I’d like to believe he’s responsible, logic tells me that he isn’t.”

Silas: “If it wasn’t Shepherd, who the fuck was it?”

Reinhardt, “We’re investigating the perpetrator as thoroughly as we can, and, thus far, we haven’t found any connection to Shepherd or the AFG. In fact, I…” he hesitates.

Silas, “Yes?”

Reinhardt, “The remnants of the bomb recovered from the scene don’t align at all with the bombs previously made and used by the AFG. The earlier bombs were made with precision and skill, and this one was very rudimentary and haphazard. Previous bombings were all based on opportunity, whereas this attack was carefully planned. It doesn’t make sense to me that they would use well-made bombs for attacks that might not work, and a shoddy bomb for a major attack right in the palace.”

Silas, “It doesn’t make sense to me that a dumbass like Shepherd could have his own army, but here we are.”

Abner pipes up, “The first bombs were made in Gath. They may not have had the same materials to make the suicide one.”

Reinhardt, “I’ve examined Isaiah Clemens’s doctorate work- he is _good._ The bomb materials weren’t poor, but the construction was. Clemens wouldn’t make a bomb like this.”

Silas, “Maybe it wasn’t Clemens.”

Reinhardt, frustrated, “But Clemens is so fucking good, why would they put something so important on someone else?”

Silas, “I don’t know how Shepherd works all the time, I just know that he works. What do we know about the bomber? How did he get into the palace?”

Reinhardt, slightly crestfallen, “He was a waiter at the palace for seven years, long before Shepherd showed up. We’re still examining his online presence, but his social media profiles show no signs of ongoing radicalization. In fact, there’s no evidence that he even so much as liked Shepherd. There was one final message, however. ‘Society is falling apart. The Amalekites will conquer.’”

Silas raises an eyebrow, “Amalekites? Like the biblical Amalekites?”

Reinhardt shrugs.

Silas shakes his head, “It’s Shepherd.” He rubs his eyes for a moment, thinking, “I want you to work with Thomasina to conduct a thorough review of all palace employees. If anyone shows the slightest hint of sympathy towards Shepherd, they will be dealt with as security threats,” he looks back and Reinhardt, “Or if there’s any further mention of these Amalekites, whatever the fuck they are.”

Reinhardt, “Right away, sir.”

  * At an airfield, David and Joel, followed by the others, approach a junky old cargo plane.



David: “That’s… supposed to take us all the way to Carmel?”

The owner, a skinny, sketchy-looking guy named Iggy: “Hey, you wanna get to my ranch, or not? She flies me back and forth all the time. Never had any problems with her, other than she kind of rattles during takeoff and landing.”

Joel: “Thanks, Iggy, man, this is literally saving all our lives.”

  * Strapped into their seats, David asks Joel, “You met this guy in prison?”



Joel: “There is absolutely nobody better at shipping large packages across the continent quickly and discreetly. Trust me, we want him as an ally.”

  * Later, Iggy shows David & co the ranch, a run-down trailer in the middle of the desert: “Welcome to Casa del Iggy. Not much room inside, so it’s a good thing y’all got camping equipment. We got all your basic needs: electricity, running water, wifi, a fridge and a stove, and a toilet. What it lacks in luxury, it makes up for in safety. I’ve got cameras rigged up all over to see anyone coming within five miles of here.”



David: “All right. We’re hardy revolutionaries, so let’s set up camp.”

Iggy: “If the time does come that you should need to book it, the Ammon border is about twenty miles east of here. I’ve got a few cars souped up so they can out-run any cop car, and they’ve saved my ass on many an occasion. You’re welcome to take a look at them if you want.”

  * Out behind the trailer, everyone sets up their tents. Jack and Shay assemble logs for a bonfire. David sits in the shade, talking on his phone.



David, “Hi.”

On the other end, Robert stands in the living room of a safehouse, “Shit, David, where are you?”

David, “In the desert. Probably shouldn’t get more specific than that. Where are you?”

Robert, “Safehouse. James and Ethan are here, too.”

David, “Who else is with you?”

Robert, “Uuuh, a few other people, trying to not be conspicuous. Your buddy, Doug, is here.”

David, “Good.”

Robert, “What’s the plan now?”

David, “I dunno, I have to talk with everyone. I think we want to keep moving toward Shiloh, we just got diverted.”

Robert, “James and I wanna be there with you. How the hell’d you get all the way into the desert?”

David, “One of Joel’s prison buddies has a plane, he can probably get you guys out here. I dunno if it’s a good idea for you two to be traveling together, I mean, two guys who look like me traveling together is pretty much just begging to get arrested.”

Robert, “We’ll risk it.”

David, “Okay, I’ll talk to Iggy. What about Ethan?”

Robert, quietly, “The raid’s got him pretty messed up. I dunno if it’s a good idea for him to be in combat.”

David, “Plenty of non-combat shit that needs to get done. We’ll find something.”

Robert, “Also, Mom wants you to call her.”

David rubs his forehead, “I’ll do that when I get a chance, I-”

Jack appears beside him, “Hey, David, we’re all meeting inside.”

David nods, “I gotta go, okay? I’ll text you the details when I set something up with Iggy. I want to get you two here, too.”

Robert, “See ya, man.”

David, “See ya.”

  * Inside, everyone gathers around a table.



David enters and sits down, “Okay, so I guess we need to figure out what the hell happened back there.”

Jack, “We could have been tracked. A whole bunch of us converging on one place, it would get noticed.”

Iggy, “Yeah, I can’t have too many of you guys camping here, shit looks suspicious.”

Shay, “There’s other possibilities.”

Betty, “Can I say something?”

David looks at her, “Yeah, go ahead.”

Betty: “I know I’m not a leader or anything like you all are, but I think we got found out in Nob because someone snitched.”

David, “Like a mole?”

Jack, “Sounds like something Reinhardt would do.”

Shay, “We haven’t exactly been vigorous about background-checking our recruits.”

David: “Okay, so who was it, then? We had a lot of people gathered there, and it could have been any one of them.”

Shay: “If Silas has intelligence, we need counter-intelligence.”

David: “How? We can’t just plant a mole ourselves. I guarantee you they’ve identified everyone who’s in the AFG, nobody’s going to be able to just leave and go get a job in the palace.”

Isaiah: “I’ve got a brother who works for CrossGen in IT. I thought I’d go work with him once I got my doctorate, but then Samuels contacted me. I tried to get him to join us, but he said it was crazy. After everything that’s happened, I don’t think he’ll be eager to join, but, I’m pretty sure that if I contact him, he won’t tell anyone.”

Asher: “They’re monitoring all our families. I guarantee you that.”

Shay: “Should we be doing more to protect our families? My mom raised me by herself, if anything ever happened to her…”

David: “I can contact Laura and see about getting them moved to Moab.”

Asher, bitterly: “Honestly, I think the only thing we can do right now to protect our families is to stay the fuck away from them.”

David: “We’ve got time, as long as we’re here. We can think of something.”

Jack: “What about an emergency escape plan?”

David: “What about Ammon?” Everyone looks at him in silence. David, “I know it’s a shitty choice, but it’s an option.”

Monique, “I can’t go to Ammon.”

David: “I know! I’m not taking your safety, and everyone else’s safety, lightly at all. But we do have to keep every single option we have open.”

Shay, “We can figure something else out. The plan is still to go ahead towards Shiloh, right?”

David, “Yeah.”

Asher, seriously: “They don’t like Jews in Ammon.”

Abby: “They don’t like women, either.”

David: “I swear, I will protect all of you! I will do my best to protect everyone, but if we want this to work this may be what it takes, so I need people to make a decision. Right now. You just have to trust me.” Everyone is silent for a moment.

Monique: “I trust you, David.”

Asher: “I trust you, too.”

  * In Shiloh, Rose goes in to talk to Helen, “I need to speak to you about last night.”



Helen: “Seth seems to be doing fine. I know it scared him, and I don’t know how he’s going to react to scares in the future. I think the best thing to do right now is to do everything we can to make him feel safe.”

Rose: “This isn’t about Seth.”

Helen: “What is it about, then?”

Rose: “I gave you a speech to read, and you ignored it.”

Helen, “Really? I mean, we almost died, and that’s what you’re upset about?”

Rose: “I’ve survived attacks on the palace before. Blunders like yours are much harder to clean up after!”

Helen, “Alright, I- I thought it would be better if I spoke authentically. Besides, after the bombing, nobody is going to remember my speech.”

Rose: “You over-stepped your boundaries.”

Helen: “Please, forgive me, I- I don’t always know where my boundaries are. You keep making news ones.”

Rose glares at Helen, “Did you see what Silas did last night?”

Helen: “He was a hero.”

Rose: “He went for me first. I’m the one he was desperate to protect.”

Helen: “I noticed.”

Rose: “I want to make sure you understand, Seth is important, but you are not. I am still queen.”

Helen, exasperated, “I don’t want to replace you. Why are you so afraid of me?”

Rose: “I’ve tried being a good sport, a gracious wife. But you humiliated me. The whole country knows that Silas fell in love with another woman, that I wasn’t good enough for him. For years, he would disappear to the country, and I knew exactly where he was going, and what he was doing, even if I couldn’t name it. I spent so many nights alone because of you. Now you bring in this little boy who looks so much like my Jack, and it’s you he loves. I tried to show you kindness, but you turned it back on me.”

Helen waits for a beat before saying, “If you think the way you’ve been treating me is kindness, I’m starting to understand why Jack left.”

Rose goes over and slaps Helen as hard as she can, “Don’t you dare say my son’s name again!”

  * In the gutted and soot-stained ballroom, Silas and Thomasina stand watching construction workers and engineers take measure of the damage.



Thomasina, “There’s no major structural damage, but obviously, there’s quite a bit of cosmetic damage. It’s going to be expensive.”

Silas, “I want everything restored. I want it more than restored, I want a new ballroom, one that’s fancier than the old one.”

Thomasina, “I’ll have the best people put on it.”

An aide comes up to Thomasina, “Ma’am, there’s a situation you need to address.”

  * Up in an office, a group of MSS officers try to arrest and young assistant, Gina.



Her boss, the minister of education, argues with Reinhardt, “This is ridiculous, Gina is an excellent employee.”

Reinhardt, “I have orders from the king, this is an issue of national security.”

Thomasina enters, “What is this?”

Gina, “I’m under arrest!”

Thomasina looks at the officers, “Let her go.”

Reinhardt, “I have orders from the king-”

Thomasina, “You had orders to consult me. Why is Miss Brooks being arrested?”

Reinhardt, “A review of her social media history suggest that she may be sympathetic toward terrorist causes.”

Gina, “What?!”

Thomasina, “Gina doesn’t support Shepherd, Director. She’s loyal.”

Gina, “Oh my god.”

Reinhardt, bristling, “I have evidence to the contrary.”

Thomasina, “Such as?”

Gina, “Okay, I might have likes some of his selfies after the tank thing but shit! Every straight woman in Gilboa has liked one of his selfies at some point!”

Thomasina, not fucking around, “Let her go, Director. You do not want me to bring this up with the King. I have served him since you were a child, and he will take my side.” She looks at the officers and in a sharp voice, says, “Let her go!”

They let her go.

Thomasina, “You will consult me before any further arrests, Director.”

  * Silas approaches the door to Helen’s apartment, and knocks. She answers.



Silas, “Are you and Seth coming to dinner?”

Helen looks at him apologetically, “I already made something, I- growing up, whenever I’d have a bad day, my mother would make me butter chicken, so I made some for Seth. I think it’d be good if tonight it was just him and me.”

Silas, “Is he all right?”

Helen, “He’s alright, at least, I-” she thinks for a moment, “The palace got bombed last night, Silas. We’re all doing as well as we can, but that’s not an easy experience.”

Silas, “Fine, then. I’ll have dinner with Rose.”

Helen, “Silas.”

Silas, “Yes?”

Helen, hesitantly, “I think it might be better if Seth and I went back to the country, at least for a little bit.”

Silas, “You’re staying here.”

Helen, “I don’t ask this lightly.”

Silas, “It’s important for Seth to see all this. He has to know what his responsibilities are going to be.”

Helen, “He knows! I just think he would appreciate some peace and quiet.”

Silas, “That’s one luxury a king can’t afford.”

Helen, “He’s not a king yet. He’s a child.”

Silas, “You’re staying here. We’re not arguing about this.” He turns around.

Helen, “Please, Silas!” Silas doesn’t listen, and walks off.

  * Silas enters the residence, where Rose waits for him, “Seth and Helen won’t be joining us tonight.” Rose stands up, smiling happily.



She goes over to Silas, “Wonderful. It’s been too long since we’ve had a romantic dinner by ourselves.”

She puts her hands on his shoulders, “The chef told me he has a wonderful cut of Kobe beef, we can enjoy it with a nice cabernet.”

Silas, “I’m not hungry.”

Rose, “You’ve had such a long day!”

Silas steps back, “I’ll get a sandwich later!”

Rose, “Don’t be stubborn, Silas!”

Silas says nothing as he turns and exits. Rose stands there, alone, smarting and quietly simmering with rage.

  * In Vesper’s cell, Silas sits down, “Tell me about suicide bombers.”



Vesper, “Is that the noise I heard last night?”

Silas, “They attacked a gala. The ballroom’s a wreck. Palace employee, no previous signs of radicalization. Somehow Shepherd got to him.”

Vesper shakes his head, “I’ll be honest, I have trouble seeing Shepherd as capable of that sort of thing, but of course I have no room to speak.”

Silas, “Tell me about who you chose.”

Vesper grimaces and thinks for a moment, “Warner was the one who advocated for suicide bombers, at first, but I’m the one who ended up using them. He always saw something noble and romantic about it. Dying for a future you’ll never see.”

Silas, “This wasn’t noble or romantic, five people died.”

Vesper, “Our bombers were our most devoted. The truly fanatical. Shepherd’s followers must really believe in him.”

Silas thinks for a moment, “There was something else, a something somewhere… The Amalekites will conquer. That’s not something you and Warner ever said, is it?”

Vesper, “I'm afraid not.”

Silas shakes his head, “Not that it matters. I’ve already got a good hit against Shepherd. Won’t be long before I wipe him out.”

  * Later that night, everyone sits around a campfire outside. David hangs back.



Abby approaches him, “If we’re keeping Ammon as our emergency escape pod, we need to clear it with King Warner. Rebel groups generally aren’t welcome in Ammon, but we have the advantage of the fact that Warner hates Silas.”

David: “Who doesn’t hate Silas?”

Abby: “We may have to offer something.”

David: “I am not giving Carmel over to Ammon. I’m trying to free all of Gilboa, not just free some of it and send the rest into something worse.”

Abby: “You have no idea how badly Warner wants even just a piece of Carmel back. A lot of towns along the border still consider themselves to be a part of Ammon. I think I can negotiate a deal where we offer up that part of the border.”

David: “It’s still a shitty deal with a shitty country.”

Abby: “If we make the deal, it’ll only go into effect when you’re king. So we can exchange one problem now for a problem later.”

David shakes his head, “Whatever. If we’re lucky, we won’t have to go there, anyway. Just…. do what you have to do to keep the option open, okay?”

Abby nods, “I will. Also, David, I don’t know how we’re going to do this, but we really do need to investigate as best we can who’s behind that suicide attack. If it’s another rebel group, or something else, they could potentially come after us. You see it in places like Moab were average people get the idea that they have a shot at the crown. Suddenly, everyone wants to be king.”

David: “How are we going to investigate it?”

Abby: “I don’t know. I’ll try just digging around online.”

  * Rose visits people injured in the bombing at the hospital. She plays the part of a gracious queen, displaying the right amount of concern for the victims and gratefulness toward the heroes.



After visiting an injured waiter, she says, “I’d like to visit my dear friend, Mrs. Masterson, is she taking visitors?”

In a private room, Rose talks to one of the guests that Helen spoke to at the party.

Rose: “I’m just so grateful that you’re still alive! I pray every night for your quick recovery.”

Mrs. Masterson: “Bless you, Rose.”

Rose, “I’m afraid I have some questions for you, though, if it’s not to painful to talk about.”

Mrs. Masterson, “What kind of questions?”

Rose, “You spoke to Helen, is that right?”

Mrs. Masterson, “Yes, she was lovely.”

Rose, “Did she say anything about David Shepherd?”

Mrs. Masterson, “What? Shepherd, no!”

Rose nods, feigning relief, “Oh, good. I- I’ve had this crazy idea in my head. I tried to talk to Silas about it, but he won’t hear any of it.”

Mrs. Masterson, “Surely Helen had nothing to do with the attack.”

Rose, “Oh, I’m certain she didn’t, but I have a few suspicions about her alliances that I can’t shake. When Silas used to visit her, he’d say he was going to the country. I know that on at least one occasion, he took Shepherd with him. I know many women have a hard time saying no to a man as handsome as Shepherd, especially women drawn to powerful men. He could have gone back to visit her on his own, and I would have no way of knowing.” Rose smiles, as if laughing at herself, “Of course, this is all speculation of my part. Helen is a wonderful mother to Seth, and she’s always been kind to me. I’m certain it’s all just paranoia on my part.”

Mrs. Masterson, “I certainly hope it is. I, for one, thoroughly support Silas and the monarchy, but if David Shepherd were to come to my home and ask to see me… I might not say no.”

  * The next morning, David, Jack, and Joel sit at the table in the trailer eating cereal. Jack is bright red with sunburn.



Joel: “I don’t want to laugh at you, man, but have you ever heard of sunscreen?”

Jack: “Shut the fuck up.” Michelle and Abby enter.

Michelle goes over to Jack and slaps him playfully on the back, “Hey, Jack!”

Jack: “Fuck you, Michelle!”

Abby sits down: “I had a hard time sleeping last night, so I did some investigating around the bombing. I looked at the bomber’s online presence, what kind of posts he was making.”

David: “And?”

Abby: “I don’t know what it means, but the word Amalekite kept coming up.”

David: “Like from the bible?”

Abby: “Like the bible. There’s still a lot that I can’t put together, though, but that seems to be the direction I’m being pointed in.” An alarm goes off, and a car appears on one of the camera screens in the trailer.”

Joel: “Shit!”

David: “I called some group leaders to come here! That’s them!” He opens the door and goes outside.

  * Outside, David waves enthusiastically as a few cars drive up. The cars stop, and people get out, among them, Robert, James, and Doug.



David hugs each of his brothers in turn, “Hey, welcome to the desert!”

Doug greets David, “Shit, is this where you’ve been hiding?”

David: “Hey, it’s been working pretty well. Come on, I want to show you what you’ll be driving!”

  * Out back, David shows off one of the engines of the souped-up cars.



  * Inside the trailer, another alarm goes off.



Joel: “Are there more people coming?”

Jack looks at the camera feeds, and sees a convoy of Gilboan army vehicles, “Shit, we have to go!” He bursts through the back door, “David, the army’s coming!”

David looks up, “What?”

Jack: “We’ve been found again!”

David slams the hood of the car shut, “Shit! We have to get over the border! There’s no choice! Everyone, get in one of the cars!”

  * The racer cars taking off. David, in a car with Jack, Michelle, and Abby, “How the FUCK did they find us?!”



Jack: “Somebody tipped someone else off! That has to be it!”

Abby: “Once we get in sight of the border, I’ll wave an AFG flag, they’ll let us over.”

  * The AFG cars speed across the desert, Silas’s army in hot pursuit.



Jack watches out the back window, “They’re getting closer!”

David: “Don’t worry, these cars are fucking fast!”

A burst of gunfire from Silas’s cars.

David: “Shit!” Jack rolls a window down and shoots back.

David: “No! Don’t!”

Michelle, “Let me handle it! Get the sunroof open!”

David opens the sunroof, and Michelle stands up. She faces backwards, towards Silas’s cars. She raises her arms. There’s another burst of gunfire, and Michelle’s shoulder jerks. She looks down to where blood spills down her shoulder. She collapses back down into the car.


	17. S3, E5: Treason

**“Treason”**

Inside the car, Michelle falls down.

Jack, “Michelle!” He goes over to her and grabs her. Blood spills onto his hand, “She’s been shot!” Gunfire issues from the other cars around them.

Michelle, struggling to breathe: “Get my kit.” She struggles to her side, wounded shoulder down. Jack grabs her medic’s kit.

Michelle grimaces and struggles to speak, “Cover the wound.”

Jack grabs two wads of gauze and presses them onto the wounds on Michelle’s chest and back.

Michelle, “Gimme a 14-gauge hollow needle.”

Jack frantically searches through the kit, “Is this it?!”

Michelle: “Unwrap it and give it here.”

Jack unwraps the needle and gives it to Michelle. She feels for the space between her third and fourth rib. She jabs the needle into her chest, and air escapes from the needle with a hiss.

David: “The border’s up ahead!”

A border checkpoint stands in the middle of the road ahead of them, guarded by Ammon soldiers.

Jack: “We’re almost there, Michelle, just hold on!”

Abby rolls her window down and waves a large AFG flag out of it. More gunfire, and holes are ripped through the flag.

David: “You said they’d let us over, right?!”

Abby: “They will!”

One of the Ammon soldiers looks through a pair of binoculars, and sees the waving AFG flag. He gestures for the gate to be let up.

David: “Yes! We’re almost there!”

Jack holds Michelle, “We need to get Michelle to a hospital, she’s bleeding everywhere!”

David presses on the brakes as the car speeds through the gate. It pulls to a stop, and the Ammon soldiers run up to it. The other cars come to stops nearby.

David leaps out, “We have a wounded person, we need to get her to a hospital right now!”

One of the soldiers replies, “There’s an army base about twenty miles east of here!”

David points at the car, “Get in and take us there!” David leaps into the back seat with Jack and Michelle. The soldier gets into the driver’s seat and takes off. The car races towards the nearby army base.

Jack holds Michelle and speaks softly to her, “Just hold on, we’re getting you help. Just hold on.”

David watches the scene, a look of pain on his face. Finally, the cars come to a stop outside of a grim cluster of buildings. David rushes out of his car and goes over to help.

Jack carries Michelle out of the car, “She’s wounded, she needs a doctor!”

A couple of soldiers push a gurney over, and Jack carefully lays Michelle down. He follows as they lead her to the operating room, where a doctor stands waiting.

Jack: “She’s had a heart transplant, and she’s on anti-rejection meds! I’m her brother, we’re twins, I can give blood!” The door shuts, shutting him out. He stares helplessly as everyone hurries up behind him.

An officer approaches them, “Before you do anything further, we need your identities registered, would you please come with me?”

  * Later, everyone sits in a semi-circle of chairs, waiting. David and Jack are both still covered in blood. Soldiers whisper and stare as they pass. David eyes them warily. Jack holds his head in his hands.



David speaks softly to him, “Michelle will be alright.”

Jack nods, “I know. She’s been through worse shit before,” he sighs heavily, “She’s never been shot, though.” He shoots a long glance at the officers gathered around a desk at the other side of the room, “How fucking long does it take to get us all registered, though?”

Shay: “It’s an intimidation technique.”

Jack rolls his eyes and rubs his beard, “Is there a place where we can get a decent shower, at least? I want to shave this thing off. I feel like fucking Sasquatch.”

David, quietly, “It’s like kissing Sasquatch.”

A small grin breaks over Jack’s face, and he elbows David, “Shut up!”

An officer marches over to the group, “You’ll be able to go, soon. We have an officer’s room available for General Shepherd, the rest of you will have to stay in our regular barracks.”

David, “General? I- there’s more of us coming.”

Officer, “They’ll have to stay in tents.”

Jack: “Is there somewhere we can bathe?”

Officer: “Yes, I just need you to confirm your identities.”

David: “Okay.”

The officer looks at David, “Name.”

“David Shepherd.”

“Name.”

“Jack Benjamin.”

“Name.”

“Abigail Hatch.”

The officer stays on Abby, “Marital status.”

Abby: “What? What does that have to do with anything?”

Officer: “In Ammon, women are expected to uphold their sacred duty in the home. What is your marital status?”

Abby, uneasily: “Widow.”

The officer turns to Monique, “Name.”

“Monique Broadnax.”

“That’s not an acceptable name.”

Monique: “Well, it’s my name.”

Officer: “In Ammon, we honor our mother and father, and we do so by keeping the name they gave us. What is your male name?”

Monique stares at the officer for a moment, before muttering, “Charles Robles.”

The officer goes on, “Name.”

“Asher Levinson.”

“Name.”

“Joel Bronikov.”

“Name.”

“Isaiah Clemens."

The officer turns to Shay, “Name.”

“Shay Mendoza.”

“Marital status.”

Shay hesitates for a moment, “Single.”

  * Later, David walks down a hallway with Monique, “I am so sorry! I can’t believe they treated you like that!”



Monique shakes her head, “I told you, I wouldn’t be welcome in Ammon. I’ll try my best to get along here, but we can’t just be here indefinitely. I hope you have a plan to get us out of here.”

David, “I swear, I’ll think of something!”

Monique: “Didn’t even give ‘em my real deadname, anyway. Go take a shower. Wash all that blood off.”

David turns around and goes back into the hospital area.

  * In there, Jack is donating blood.



David turns to the nurse, “Hey, I’ll donate, too. I’m O neg. You can use that.”

Nurse: “I’ll get you set up in just a minute.” She pulls the needle out of Jack’s arm and puts a cotton ball over the wound.

Jack: “I can give more. I’m her twin, we have the same blood type, AB positive.”

Nurse: “AB positive carriers can take any kind of donor blood. We have plenty in our bank. Your sister will be fine.”

Jack: “Is there anything else I can do?”

Nurse: “Not yet.”

Jack: “Do you know when she’ll be out of surgery?”

Nurse: “It depends on the extent of her internal injuries. After she leaves surgery, she’ll have to be sufficiently stabilized before we can allow her visitors. That can take a few hours.”

Jack nods, “Okay.” The nurse goes over to David and prepares him to give blood.

David: “When this is done, I’ll tell everyone else to come and donate.”

The nurse sticks a needle into his vein, “There’s no need. If we have more blood than we can use, it just gets thrown away.” She stands up and leaves Jack and David alone.

Jack, “You know, for as much time as I’ve spent waiting for Michelle to get out of surgery, you’d think I was better at it.”

David puts his hand on Jack’s shoulder, “She’ll be alright.”

Jack: “Dad changed his orders. She wasn’t shot on accident.”

David: “I know.”

Joel comes in, “Hey, David, the group leaders are here. They’re asking about you.”

David: “I’m kind of busy right now.”

Jack: “One of them gave us away. It’s the only possible explanation for how we got found at Nob, and now here.”

David: “I’ll talk to everyone. If we have a traitor, I’ll find him.”

Joel: “If you find him, what are you gonna do?”

Jack: “Anyone who betrays us has to be executed. There’s no room for decency or noble bullshit, it has to happen.”

David: “I know, but we don’t even know for sure if we have a traitor! Besides, we’re in Ammon. We have to go by their laws.”

Abby comes rushing in, “David, King Warner wants to talk to you!”

David: “What, is he here?!”

Abby: “No, but he’s on the phone.”

David, “I’m kind of indisposed! Plus, I’m all gross and dirty, can I get a chance to shower, first?”

Abby: “You need to talk to him. Now.”

David, “Can I do it here?”

Abby, “Probably, I- hang on.” She steps out of the room.

Jack: “Shoulda known Warner would be up our asses soon enough.”

David: “Shut up, Jack. Don’t use that kind of language around him. In fact, just keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking.”

Abby comes back in, “Okay, here he is.” She sits down next to David and holds the phone up. On the screen is King Warner.

David: “Hello, your majesty, it’s an honor to talk to you.”

Warner: “ _The_ David Shepherd, here in Ammon. I never would have thought.”

David: “Thank you for letting us come here! You’ve saved all our lives!”

Warner smiles, “You are more than welcome. I won’t keep you long, General Shepherd.”

Jack mouths, “General?”

Warner: “I intend to speak with you in person, but for now, I would like to welcome you to Ammon.”

David: “Thank you, sir.”

Warner: “I also want to tell you, I’m going to call for Royal Council. I intend for you to sit at the table.”

Abby’s eyes bug out, and she mouths, “HOLY SHIT!”

Jack’s jaw drops.

David, amazed, “Wow, I- can I do that?”

Warner: “The current situation between Gilboa, Gath, and Ammon cannot be resolved without taking into consideration the Army of Free Gilboa. As its leader, you are allowed to sit and negotiate on its behalf.”

Abby, mouthing, “FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!”

David: “That’s incredible, sir. I promise you, when I join you, I’ll look much better. I- I’ve been hiding out in the desert for a few days, and I can’t remember the last time I was able to bathe properly.”

Warner, “That’s fine, General. I’ll speak to you again, soon.”

David: “Goodbye!” Warner hangs up.

Abby jumps up, “ROYAL FUCKING COUNCIL!”

Jack: “Holy shit. Dad fucking _loves_ Royal Council.”

David: “Abby, are you sure I’m allowed to sit at the table? I thought only kings were allowed to sit at the table!”

Abby: “It’s rare, but Warner’s right, when certain groups have to be taken into consideration when resolving an international conflict, the leader of that group is allowed to sit.”

David: “Holy fuck.” The nurse from before enters and checks on David’s bag.

Joel: “Listen, that’s still a ways away, we need to deal with this issue of who turned us in right now.” The nurse takes the needle out of David’s arm and bandages him up.

David: “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll go deal with it.”

  * Outside, it’s sunset. David and Jack walk towards the area where the AFG is setting up camp.



Doug goes up to him, “Hey, David, are you okay?”

David: “Yeah, Michelle was shot, but the doctors are treating her.”

Doug: “Shit, is she gonna be okay?”

David: “I hope so. Hey, listen, I’ve got kind of a serious job to do. The army found us again, and because of that, I have to take into consideration the real possibility that someone is turning us in. Can you round up the group leaders? I’m gonna talk to all of you privately, and try to see if I can figure out what’s going on.”

Doug: “Sure.” He goes off.

Betty comes over to David, looking nervous, “David, I need to talk to you in private, if you don’t mind.”

David: “What is it?”

Betty: “I think I know who turned us in. I think it was Doug.”

Fury burns in Jack’s eyes.

David: “What? No, Doug’s an old friend, he knew me before I ever became famous.”

Betty: “I was in his group. He was always going off to make these phone calls that he said were private, that you were giving him instructions. Did you do that?”

David: “Like, every day?”

Betty: “Every few hours.”

David: “No, I- I wasn’t giving out orders like that, but, it could have been something else.”

Betty: “I saw him, the night of the raid. When I went out to get snacks. He was on his phone. And then the army came.”

Jack takes off looking for Doug.

David chases after him, “Jack!” but Jack ignores him.

Jack finds Doug, runs up, knocks him to the ground, and starts pummeling him, “YOU FUCKING TRAITOR!”

David and Betty rush over.

Betty tries to pull Jack off of Doug, but David stops her, “Let him.” Doug lays on the ground, not fighting back.

Painful realization slowly comes over David, “Why aren’t you fighting back?” Doug continues to accept his beating.

David, “Fight back!” Jack stops punching, and holds Doug down. Doug spits a mouth full of blood out, and glares up at David.

David: “Did you turn us in?”

Doug snarls, “Fuck you, David. You turned against your country, and you’re never going to be king.” Jack punches Doug again.

David: “Jack, stop it!”

Jack looks up at David, “What do you want to do with him?”

David, “I- I don’t know! There’s got to be some kind of holding area! Keep him there!”

  * Jack and Shay lead Doug into a small, empty room. They sit him down in a chair and tie his arms. David enters the room, followed by Asher. The door closes behind him, and David stares at Doug’s bloody face. Doug stares blankly at David.



David: “You were there, the night I saved Jack and blew up the Goliath.”

Doug: “Yeah, I was.”

David: “We were friends.”

Doug: “Yeah, we were.” David is completely stunned, and can’t think of anything to say.

Asher: “My parents are dead because of you!”

Doug: “Your parents are dead because they were harboring wanted terrorists.”

Asher: “Eighty-five people died that night! Eighty-five!”

David, still dumbfounded, “We were friends.”

Doug: “Not so smart, now, are you, David?”

David: “Why? What did I ever do to make you do this?”

Doug glares at him: “You don’t even know, do you?”

David: “Know what?”

Doug: “Do you know how many Gilboan soldiers died when you blew up that border checkpoint?”

David: “I- I don’t remember the exact number.”

Doug: “Six. Spencer was one of them.”

Horror grows in David’s eyes, “Spencer?”

Doug, somewhat mockingly, “He was your friend.”

David: “I had no way of knowing!”

Doug: “You knew Spence and I were both still active, and you attacked the army. You attacked your fellow soldiers. Now you’re leading your own army against your king. And you call me the traitor.”

Jack punches Doug again, “You don’t get to talk to him like that!”

David: “Jack, back off.”

Jack: “He betrayed us, and we need to deal with him accordingly.”

David looks over at Asher, “Asher, what do you say?”

Asher looks at Doug with cold fury in his eyes, “I’m supposed to tell you to show mercy. It’s the good and right thing to do. But my parents are dead. Kill him.”

David: “I can’t just kill him right now! I- I’ll turn him over to the Ammon army, they can deal with him!” David turns around and leaves the room.

  * He hurries out of the building, and finds himself standing alone outside. He puts his hands on his knees and struggles to breathe. He stands up. In the distance, at the Gilboan border, light flashes and flickers. The faint, “boom, boom” of artillery reaches David.



The door opens behind him, and Jack comes out, “Are you all right, David?”

David: “They’re fighting on the border.”

Jack steps up and watches the flashing lights, “Shit.”

David: “Come, on, let’s deal with Doug.” He keeps walking, and Jack follows. They go into the main building.

David finds the officer in charge of the base, “I have a dangerous prisoner that needs to be dealt with.”

Officer: “Dangerous, how?”

David: “He turned the location of AFG hiding places over to the Gilboan Army.”

Officer: “That’s not of any concern to the Ammon army.”

David: “I can’t just let him go! He- he’s guilty of treason! People are dead because of him!”

Officer: “The AFG has the authority to deal with him as they see fit. Ammon has nothing to do with this.” The officer leaves David and Jack alone.

Jack: “We’ll take care of him in the morning, okay?” David nods. Jack, “I need a fucking shower.”

  * In a white shower, red blood trails into the drain. Jack and David both wash the dried blood off of their bodies. Jack stares down at his bruised and scraped-up knuckles.



Standing in front of a mirror, Jack shaves off his beard while David removes the rings from his lip, eyebrow, and ears. He lines them up in a neat row on the counter, and stares at his reflection. He pushes his lip out a bit with his tongue and examines the hole, touching it lightly with his fingertips. He looks at the burn scars on his shoulder, and the faint scar on his forehead.

David: “I’ve gotten a lot of new scars ever since I saved you.”

Jack looks over at him, “Would you save me again, if you had the chance?”

David: “Yeah, I would. I’d probably do a few things afterward differently, though.”

  * Dressed in clean clothes, Jack and David go back to check in on Michelle.



The nurse greets them, “You can see her, now.”

Jack, “Thank god.”

Nurse: “Can I just ask a quick question?”

Jack: “What?”

Nurse: “Who performed the needle decompression?”

Jack: “What?”

Nurse: “It’s an emergency procedure for a collapsed lung. You take a big, hollow needle, and stick it in between the third and fourth rib, it allows for the air that’s been let inside the chest wall to come out and helps the collapsed lung re-inflate.”

Jack: “Oh, the thing with the needle. Michelle did that herself.”

Nurse: “That is badass.”

Jack: “That’s Michelle.”

  * Jack and David go into a room, where Michelle lays in a hospital bed, waiting for them.



Jack, “Hey, how are you feeling?”

Michelle: “Like I’ve been fucking shot.”

Jack gently kisses Michelle on the forehead and sits down.

Michelle: “You look better without the beard.”

Jack, “Yeah, I’m glad to get rid of it." David sits next to him.

Jack: “I’m glad you’re alright.”

Michelle smiles wryly, “Usually, it’s pulmonary edema. Trying to get shit out of my lungs. Pneumothorax, trying to get shit into my lungs, that’s new.” She lifts the blanket over her, and pulls up her hospital gown to reveal the tube going into her chest, “Plus I got this sweet new chest tube.” Jack laughs, softly.

David: “I talked to King Warner, and he wants to call a Royal Council, and have me sit at the table.”

Michelle: “No fucking way.”

David: “Well, he can call one. There’s no guarantee Silas will agree to it.”

Michelle: “Silas fucking loves Royal Council. It’s all about who can pull the biggest stunt and create the most drama. Silas always wins.”

David: “Yeah, but not showing up is a pretty big stunt.”

Jack: “He’ll be a diva about it, but he’ll go. He can’t say no.”

Michelle: “Shit, David. If we weren’t legit before, we’re sure as hell legit, now.”

David: “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Michelle smiles, sadly. Everyone sits in silence for a moment.

Michelle sniffs, “I got shot. Dad changed his orders.” She starts to cry, and wipes tears away from her eyes.

Jack reaches over and puts his hand on her shoulder, “Abner would never let you stay our human shield. I guarantee you, it was him.”

Michelle: “Dad had to agree to it.”

Jack: “I’m sorry, Michelle. That’s just Dad.” Michelle weeps.

Jack, “I love you, Michelle.”

Michelle: “I love you, too, Jack.”

  * David and Jack go looking for their barracks. David pulls a key out of his pocket, “I get officer’s quarters, number 203.” He spots the right number, and unlocks the door. David glances back at Jack, “Do you want to come in?”



Jack: “Yeah, sure.”

Inside is a spartan room with a lamp, a desk, and a small bed with only room for one person. David shuts the door and locks it. He goes over to Jack and puts his hands on his shoulder. Jack turns around and kisses David, slowly and passionately.

David pulls away, “We have be careful. I don’t know what kind of authority we’re gonna be given here in Ammon, but we shouldn’t go flagrantly breaking laws left and right.”

Jack nods, sadly, “All right. It’s just… god, the last time I slept alone, I was locked in a cell.”

David grabs him and kisses him, unable to hold back. They pull each other’s clothes off, and end up fucking on David’s bed, Jack, straddling David’s lap.

  * At daybreak the next morning, the AFG members stand outside in a group. Michelle is there in a wheelchair. Doug kneels on the ground, hands bound, Jack and David standing behind him.



Jack: “Douglas Ericsson committed treason against the Army of Free Gilboa. He gave away our location in Nob and in the desert, and he’s the reason that 85 people are dead, and we’re now in Ammon. Because of this, he will be executed.”

Doug stares at the ground and doesn’t change his facial expression. Asher glares at Doug with pure hatred, and everyone else looks on with a mix of pity and rage. Jack takes a gun, and points it at the back of Doug's head.

Before Jack pulls the trigger, David reaches over, and says softly, “Give me the gun.”

Jack: “What?”

David, with more force, “Give me the gun!”

Jack hands David the gun, and David’s hand falls to his side. Doug looks up at him, wondering if his life has been spared. David raises the gun and shoots Doug in the head. Doug falls over, and a pool of blood spills beneath him. David turns around and walks away.


	18. S3, E6: The Family Business

**“The Family Business”**

FLASHBACK: Silas’s confirmation Royal Council: Young Silas sits at a round table, surrounded by the other kings of North America. The other kings are done up in their highest finery, wearing their crowns. Silas wears his army uniform.

Silas: “We should all be in accordance, then: I, Silas Benjamin, supported by the people of Gilboa and by God Himself, am the rightful king of Gilboa.”

Young Shaw: “I object.”

Silas shoots him a dirty look. Behind him, Rose sits in the audience, holding two toddlers in her lap. Samuels stands behind Silas, in the advisor’s position, looking on anxiously.

Shaw, nervously: “Silas Benjamin murdered Nicholas Achison and a number of his top officers.”

Silas: “I did what was necessary to end a bloody and tiresome war. Now both Gath and Gilboa can start to rebuild.”

King of Samaria: “Silas isn’t the first man to come to this table through deadly means.”

Silas: “Gath, I will remind my fellow kings, agreed to total surrender to Gilboa, and I signed that surrender agreement as king. If I am not confirmed as King of Gilboa, that surrender will be voided, and must be re-negotiated with the confirmed king. If I will not be confirmed, who will you confirm in my place? The National Charter of Gilboa has been drawn and signed, and now I must be confirmed by Royal Council.”

King of Aram: “Silas has my support.”

King Lawrence of Edom: “I concur.”

King of Samaria: “I concur.”

King of Moab: “Questions should still be asked.”

Silas: “I ask anyone doubting my legitimacy to look at my military record. It is unimpeachable! I have fought for my country and my crown!”

Shaw: “Can we at least have the head back?”

Silas: “No. Next question.”

King of Moab: “Head?”

Shaw: “Premier Achison was beheaded, and the head was never found! A trail of blood led back to the Gilboan army camp where General Benjamin was quartered!”

King of Moab: “What happened to the head?”

Silas: “I believe it was disposed of.”

Shaw: “There’s a skull mounted in your office. I’ve seen the pictures.”

Silas: “Can you prove it’s Achison? And even if it were to be real, Gath’s surrender was unconditional. I’m under no obligation to return it. The only question that needs to be asked at this table is if there is any real reason that I am not the legitimate king of Gilboa, and the answer is, simply, no!”

King of Moab nods, “Then, I concur.”

King of Ammon: “I concur.”

All eyes fall on Shaw: “I cannot agree to this.”

Silas: “How long are you going to keep us here, Gerald? I have two small children that I’d rather be tending to. One of them is the future king of Gilboa. You’ve already surrendered to me once.”

Shaw, looking away from Silas, “I concur.”

The King Lawrence stands, “It is confirmed, then, Silas Benjamin is the king of Gilboa, and the Benjamin monarchy shall henceforth rule Gilboa.”

The audience applauds, and Silas beams, gloating. Samuels applauds grimly and Rose cries with happiness. (end flashback)

  * David, Jack, and Abby sit watching video on a tablet in Michelle’s hospital room.



David: “So wait, a king can just lie at Council? I thought the rules were you have to tell the truth.”

Abby: “The only real rule is all the monarchs sit down, and either they come to an agreement or they keep arguing until someone is quote, ‘made unable to respond.’ Basically, they pass out or die. Royal Council is called to confirm a new monarchy and to settle international disputes. Kings lie at it all the time, but the other kings are able to fact-check them, so it does bring a little bit of honesty to the proceedings.”

David: “If those are the only real rules, what’s with all the ceremonial bullshit?”

Michelle: “Because you can’t have royalty without ceremonial bullshit.”

Abby: “The official rules of Royal Council are kept simple so that it can be called under the most desperate circumstances. The protocols of Royal Council, however, are pretty ridiculous. Technically, you don’t have to follow them, but it’s a really quick way to disrespect everyone there and make sure that you never, ever get an agreement in your favor.”

David: “Shit. I need a uniform. And… am I General Shepherd now? That seems to be what people are calling me.”

Jack: “Well, considering you’re leading an army, I guess that does kind of make you a general.”

  * In Shiloh, Silas: “ _General_ Shepherd! That’s an insult! He was a captain, and then he left the army! I will never consent to a Royal Council if Shepherd is at the table!”



Over speaker phone, King Warner: “Don’t be unreasonable, Silas!”

Silas: “Unreasonable! Shepherd made himself a general! _That’s_ unreasonable!”

Warner: “All the other kings have agreed to meet in Damascus. Aram is neutral territory, generally more traditional in its values, and sympathetic towards Gilboa.”

Silas: “You’re just angling to get Carmel back!”

Warner: “You’re facing two wars, Silas, to refuse Royal Council out of vanity is absurd!”

Silas: “I. Refuse.”

  * Abby goes into Michelle’s hospital room, “Silas has refused!”



David slumps against the wall, “Well, we tried.”

Abby: “There’s no limit on the number of times Council can be called. He can wear Silas down.”

Jack: “Yeah, that’s not gonna work.”

Michelle: “What if I go with you?”

Jack: “Michelle, you just got shot. You can’t even leave the hospital for two weeks.”

Michelle: “I can go when I’m out of the hospital.”

Jack: “Well, I’m sure as hell not going. God, I can’t even image what the Prince Club would be like.”

David: “What?”

Jack: “Prince Club, it’s this stupid get-together for all the heirs. Supposed to build alliances and prepare us for future Royal Council. All we ever did was go to strip clubs and talk about pussy.”

Michelle: “Just say that I’ve been injured, and that when I’ve recovered enough, I can go.”

Jack: “Michelle, you don’t have to put yourself through that.”

Michelle: “I never said I’d talk to Silas. I just said I’d go.”

Abby: “I can try that.”

Michelle: “I feel fine.”

David: “You’re on a shitload of morphine.”

Michelle: “I’m a certified badass. It’s just showing up, not running a marathon.”

David, sighing, “Fine, we’ll try that.”

Michelle: “Silas fucking owes me, anyway. Do you know how he got Ammon to agree to the annexation of Carmel?”

  * (flashback) Royal Council again, older Silas. Newer kings have replaced the older kings. Everyone is yelling without making any sense. Samuels comes up to Silas and whispers into his ear. The yelling stops and everyone looks at Silas, whose face has gone grimly serious. He nods, and Samuels goes off.



Silas: “Gentlemen, I have to ask that this Council end quickly. My daughter, Michelle, is very sick.” He gives a dramatic lip-wibble and Samuels struggles not to roll his eyes.

Warner, red-faced, “Carmel is a part of Ammon!”

Tears come into Silas’s eyes, “Warner, please, Michelle- Michelle is dying. I have to go be with her.” The kings look from one another.

King George of Aram: “I support the annexation of Carmel by Gilboa.”

Silas, barely whispering, “Thank you, George.”

King Lawrence of Edom grimaces, “Silas defeated Vesper fairly. Carmel was its own country, and that country has been annexed by Gilboa. It is not a part of Ammon. Silas has my support.” Silas weeps gratefully.

King John of Samaria: “I concur.”

King Norris of Moab: “I concur.”

Shaw casts a suspicious look at Silas, but mutters, “I concur.”

King Warner glares at them all in fury, “I do not support this!”

Silas, softly, “Please, Warner. Michelle doesn’t have long. As one father to another, let me go to her.”

King Warner takes a deep breath and realizes he’s out-numbered, “Fine. I concur.”

Silas bursts up from his seat, utterly and inappropriately gleeful, “Thank you!” (end flashback)

  * David, Jack, and Michelle watch on a tablet.



David: “So wait, is this when you got your transplant?”

Michelle: “Oh, no, that was years away. I was fucking fine. Didn’t even have the sniffles. Silas came home, made a big deal about my miracle recovery, and Carmel’s been a part of Gilboa ever since.”

David, “Damn. I gotta learn how to cry on command like that.”

Michelle, “Yeah, he’s also made history as the first king to drop the f-bomb at Council.”

David: “Really?”

(Silas, at another Council, points at Shaw and screams, “BLOW IT OUT YOUR ASS, GERALD!”)

Michelle, “Yeah, he’s kind of developed a reputation. Those are some of my favorite childhood memories.”

  * In Moab, William video conferences with Warner, “Has Silas agreed to Council yet?”



Warner, “Not yet.”

William, “Good. I will make things very rewarding for you if Ammon and Gilboa end up at war.”

Warner, “Pardon me for changing the subject, William, but isn’t your son getting married tomorrow?”

William mutters, “It’s not like I’m going to be there.”

Warner, “Right. Well, you have my warmest congratulations. There’s nothing more joyful than a wedding.”

William, “Do you want to give me and my family a gift? Skip council and formally declare war on Gilboa.”

Warner, “I’m afraid I have to at least make an appearance of being interested in peace. Why are you so eager for me to declare war on your country?”

William, “Anything that will help get rid of Silas.”

  * Everyone sits in the mess hall of the base, grimly eating breakfast. Monique’s clothes are drab and masculine, and she wears her hair in a low ponytail, trying to suppress any signs of femininity.



Asher stirs at his oatmeal and sniffs it, “Does this smell like bacon to you?”

Jack leans over and sniffs it, “Kinda.”

David, “Let me try.”

Asher pushes the oatmeal over to David, who tries a bite. He makes a face, “Yeah, that’s got bacon grease in it.” He pushes his own oatmeal over to Asher, “Eat mine.”

Asher, “I want to say I can’t fucking believe this, but I actually can.”

David, “I’ll talk to somebody!” He gets up.

Asher, “David, no!”

David looks back at him, “You’re willing to put up with this?”

Asher, “There’s a town about five miles from here, I’m sure there’s a grocery store, I can pick up some non-perishable kosher food that I can cook on my own, all right?”

David sighs and sits back down, “That’s not fair.”

Asher, “You complaining means they’ll just put in less bacon grease, next time. Are you planning on bringing more people here? I’m not the only Jew, and I’m sure our Muslim members are gonna be treated just as kindly.”

David, “I’ll handle it!”

Shay, “What are we planning? If Silas agrees to Council, that means there will be a cease-fire, which means we can get more people over here. Re-group, plan an attack.”

David, “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I- I want to figure out who attacked the palace. I have a feeling this wasn’t just a random act of violence.”

Joel, “Yeah, no shit.”

Shay, “But how _are_ we gonna figure this out? We don’t exactly have our own spy force.”

David, “Sooner or later, someone is going to get tired of being anonymous.”

  * Outside, David and everyone else watches morning drills from a short distance. Countless Ammon soldiers stand in perfect lines, following orders in flawless unison.



Asher explains, “When the Christian Resistance took over, Jews, Muslims, and other religious minorities were given the choice, convert or die. Growing up, my parents and I did a lot of volunteer work with Jewish refugees,” he pauses, “Not enough, though. Too many of them died. Then came the split. Carmel seceded, and instead of just minority religions, Abbadon went after everyone: convert or die.”

Monique speaks up, “If you were queer, you didn’t even have the choice, they just killed you.”

Abby, “They don’t do that anymore, after CrossGen threatened to stop supplying their military.”

David, “CrossGen actually did the right thing?”

Jack, darkly, “Their products being used to commit crimes against humanity was bad PR.”

Abby, “Marriage is still compulsory”

Jack, “Shit!”

David, “What?”

Jack, “That reminds me, Andrew is getting married today. At least I think it’s today.”

Abby rolls her eyes and goes on, “Once you turn 30, if you don’t have a spouse, the state sets you up with one. So many women get married to violent men, they don’t care. The only grounds for divorce are adultery, failure to provide, abandonment, and infertility. It’s almost impossible for a divorced woman to get jobs, and adultery or abandonment could get you life in prison.”

David, “That’s fucked up. Why would they force all of that? I know they’re like crazy fundies, but… why?”

Joel, “They’re building God’s army. More babies means more soldiers.”

Shay, “You sure you want to bring more people here, David?”

David, “We still need to re-group.”

  * Christine stands in a church, elaborately decorated with pink roses. Workers buzz around putting the final touches on all the decorations. Christine smokes a cigarette.



A church employee approaches her, “Ma’am, you can’t smoke in the sanctuary.”

Christine sighs and opens her purse. She digs around in it, and then pulls out a wad of cash, “Here’s five hundred dollars. Leave me alone.” The employee takes the money, and walks away.

Andrew enters, “Jesus, Mother, you can’t smoke in church!”

Christine, “You can’t take the Lord’s name in vain, either.”

Andrew, “Just try not to ruin everything, will you?”

Christine, “Is your father going to be present in any way?”

Andrew, “I have someone streaming it so he can view everything in Moab.”

Christine, “I’m glad he’ll at least be paying attention.”

Andrew, “This is a momentous moment for the Cross family.”

Christine, “Oh, of course, just like your parents’ wedding.”

Andrew casts her a dirty look, “If you’re going to smoke, can you at least go in the ladies room? And whatever you do, don’t light up once the guests start arriving.”

Christine, “Of course, darling.”

  * In the lady’s room, Christine stares at her phone, hesitating a moment, and then makes a phone call.



In Moab, William answers, “What do you want, Christine?”

Christine, “Have you spoken to Andrew?”

William, “I’ve been busy this morning. Warner is trying to call for Royal Council.”

Christine, “You can’t even congratulate your son.”

William, “I already did that once!”

Christine sighs, “You need to talk him out of this.”

William, “What? Why?”

Christine, “You’d have to be blind to see that this is a bad decision. That poor girl has no idea what she’s getting into.”

William, “Are you implying that Andrew will be a bad husband?”

Christine, “Not at all, I’m just saying she has no idea what runs in the Cross family.”

William, “Jesus, you never miss a chance, do you?”

Christine, “You are missing your only son’s wedding because your hair-brained coup failed and you can’t step foot in your home country. Do you think it’s fair for a nice girl like Chloe to marry into that?”

William, “She knows perfectly well what happened! I did nothing wrong, it was Jack that fucked everything up!”

Christine, “Oh, yes, blame Jack, of course it’s his fault. It’s not like it was a stupid idea to begin with. What are you going to do when they have children?”

William, “I will stay here in Moab until my plan succeeds.”

Christine, “What plan? You always have a plan, and none of them work!”

The bathroom door opens. Christine looks over, and Rose enters.

Christine smiles, “Rose, hello, dear, I was just on the phone with William.”

William, “Good God, what the fuck is Rose doing there?!”

Rose, “Someone has to represent the Cross family.”

William, “I’m hanging up now! You two bitches can be miserable together!” He ends the conversation.

Christine lowers her phone, “Such a charmer. I was so lucky to marry him. You aren’t going to arrest me for treason, now, aren’t you?”

Rose, “No. I know you’re too lazy to ever be bothered with something as tiresome as treason.”

Christine snaps open her purse, puts her phone back in, and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. She gets one out and lights it. She takes a puff, “I’m glad you came, Rose.”

Rose goes over and leans against the counter, “I wouldn’t miss it. What did William say?”

Christine, “He has some sort of plan up his sleeve, but he didn’t say what. If I knew anything, I’d tell you.”

Rose, “He always has a plan.” She eyes Christine’s cigarette, “Give me one of those.”

Christine pulls one out of her pack and gives it to Rose, and then lights it. Rose smokes it with old familiarity. She and Christine look like the bad girls in high school they once were.

Rose, “Of all the things I had to give up when I became queen, I think I miss cigarettes the most.”

Christine, “I don’t envy you. I know this was supposed to be Jack’s wedding.”

Rose, “I don’t think about it.”

Christine sighs, “I wish I could talk my son out of doing something stupid, but why would he listen to me?”

Rose, “Maybe it’s not Andrew you should be talking to.”

  * Silas enters Vesper’s cell and sits down.



Vesper, “What’s troubling you, this time?”

Silas, softly, “Warner has called for Royal Council.”

Vesper, “Why Warner?”

Silas, “Shepherd’s gone into Ammon. Warner is letting him stay there. If he doesn’t hand Shepherd over, it’s war, just like with Gath.”

Vesper shakes his head, “You should settle.”

Silas, “Agreeing to Council means that I legitimize Shepherd and his army. It’s not an _army_ , I lead an _army_. Shepherd just has a bunch of angry kids.”

Vesper, “Including two very important ones.”

Silas sighs, “Shepherd’s made this offer… if I go… Michelle will be there. I can see her. Speak to her. Seth… Seth could meet her.”

Vesper, “I have absolutely no room to speak in this matter, Silas. All I have left in this life are my regrets. But I would give away everything. My desk, my books, my radio, my window, everything, if I could just see my children again. Tell them how sorry I am. Beg their forgiveness. I would give my kingdom away, if I could.”

Silas, “But you can’t.”

Vesper, “You want to see her.”

Silas, “I do.”

Vesper, “Do what you want to do. You will regret it, if you don’t.”

  * David sits in his officer’s quarters, talking on his cell phone. His face reveals that this isn’t a call he wants to make. He speaks with a falsely cheerful voice, “Hi, Mom. I’m sorry I haven’t called you. I’ve uh, been kind of busy.”



In her Moab condo, Jessie talks on a phone, tears of relief in her eyes, “David! I’ve been trying to contact you for weeks! You can’t just leave me in the dark like this, baby!”

David, “Mom, if I don’t contact you, it's because doing so would put me and a whole lot of other people in danger. You heard what happened at Nob, right?”

Jessie, “Oh, please don’t mention that to me!”

David, “I’m sorry. James and Robert are here in Ammon with me, and we’re all in one piece, and safe, for now, at least.”

Jessie, “Your brother, Sean, was hurt.”

David, “What? How?”

Jessie, “He got sent to the Ammon border.”

David, “He’s administration, not combat!”

Jessie, “There aren’t enough combat troops for both fronts, they’re putting everyone they can out there!”

David, “How- how bad is it?”

Jessie, “He lost a leg.”

David, “What?!”

Jessie, “He’s still in the hospital, you need to call him!”

David, “I can’t! That would put the both of us in a lot of danger!”

Jessie, “Everything you do involves danger!”

David, “It kind of comes with leading a rebellion! I don’t know what else to tell you!”

Jessie, “Arthur’s been trying to go see him, but he’s not being let out of Gath!”

David, “Mom, I’m sorry, but I really don't know what to tell you. There’s nothing I can do right now, and…” he sighs, “You’re not gonna want to hear this, but if Sean is hurt, it means he can’t fight, and that means he can’t be sent to the front killed.”

Jessie, “Don’t try to make this good!”

David, “I kinda have to find good wherever I can find it. I’m sorry, but that's the reality of what I'm dealing with right now. But, it’s not all bad. King Warner is trying to call for Royal Council. If Silas agrees to it, I’m gonna sit at the table.”

Jessie, “Really?”

David’s door opens, and Jack appears behind it. David points to his phone. Jack grins and leans against the door frame.

David, “Yeah. That's why I wanted to call you. Maybe I can negotiate something with Silas.”

Jessie, “Oh, David, baby, you don’t have to. You already have too much that you’re responsible for.”

David, “It doesn’t even have to be at Council, we can negotiate it privately.”

Jessie, “I know, but… I doubt King Silas would do that.”

David, “He would for a chance to see Michelle.”

Jessie, “Whatever happens, happens. Just please stay in touch with me, okay?”

David, “I will. I promise. Bye, Mom.”

Jessie, “By, sweetie!” He hangs up.

Jack, “You’re a fucking general and your mom still calls you sweetie.”

David, “She loves me,” he leans his head back against the wall, defeatedly, “They sent Sean into combat. He lost a leg.”

Jack, “Being wounded means they won’t send him back to be killed.”

David, “That’s what I told Mom. Still fucking sucks.”

Jack, “Well, I dunno if it’s good news, but Dad agreed to Council.”

David sits up, “He did?”

Jack, “Yeah. He wants to see Michelle.”

David, “Did you tell Abby?”

Jack, “I did. I think she’s still screaming.”

David, laughing softly, “Holy shit.”

Jack closes the door behind him, and sits on the bed next to David, “Think you can handle it?”

David, “I dunno. I was on my high school debate team. We always did pretty well.”

Jack, “Dad used to have me do these mock Councils when I was a kid. Have Michelle sit in Gath’s spot. Yell at me whenever I said the wrong thing.”

David, “You could be my advisor.”

Jack, “Nah. Abby knows way more about diplomacy than I do. That, and…” he sighs, “I’m not ready to face Dad. Michelle might be, but I can’t. He’d use me against you…” he thinks for a moment, “Would be nice if I could meet Seth, though.”

David, “I’ll say hi to him for you.”

Jack, “Dad won’t let you near him.”

  * Warner talks to William over a video screen, “Silas has agreed to Council.”



William sighs with exasperation, “Rational decisions are so out of character for Silas. Shepherd must be offering him something. Whatever happens at Council, it needs to end with war.”

Warner, “The purpose of Royal Council is to prevent war.”

William, “And Viagra was supposed to be a heart medicine. No matter what, someone ends up getting fucked.”

Warner, “I do not appreciate your vulgar tone.”

William, “I apologize, but I will make things very good for you, I promise!”

Warner, “Shepherd has agreed to give me a part of Carmel once he becomes king.”

William, “I can promise you all of it.”

Warner, “All of it? When?”

William, “When I become king! I’m supposed to be king! My father was a brilliant man. I was proud to be his son. He should have been king. Do you know who became king instead? The white trash literal kid next door whose alcoholic father beat him every night! He disgraced my family. His crown in _mine_. My father earned it, and I should have inherited it!”

Warner, “You’ll be giving me half of your country.”

William, “It’s worth the trade. Besides, Silas is the one who conquered Carmel. All the better if I can undo his legacy.”

Warner, “So all you want is petty revenge.” ([“The Real Slim Shady” Eminem](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5MR7_INQwg))

William, “Yes. But it’s so much more than that. I’ve hated Silas since long before the crown was ever on his head. It’s all because of what he did to Rose.” (Montage!)

o Kid Silas chasing kid Rose as she rides ahead on a bike and casts coy glances over her shoulder. William, V.O., “He’d been on her tail ever since we were kids! Childish infatuation! She always turned him away.”

o Teenage Rose stands in a white gown at her debutante ball. A line of young wealthy men stand to court her.

“Rose was beautiful. She had eligible young men from respectable families falling all over her.”

o The front door of the Cross mansion opens, and teenage Silas, holding a pack over his shoulder, stands there, looking dejected. Alister stands in the front door. Rose appears on the staircase behind him, sees Silas, and smiles.

“My father was kind to him! He gave him a place to stay!”

o Silas and Rose get it on in the guest house. Rose cries as Silas goes off to join the army. Alister and William look on approvingly.

“I thought we’d gotten rid of him when he joined the army.”

o Rose accepts a diamond ring from a wealthy-looking young man.

“Rose seemed to have grown out of her crush on Silas. She got engaged to Irwin Balthazar, who was from an excellent family!”

o Rose stands in a black dress in front of the Benjamin family house, which has guests in black on the front porch.

“But then, she goes back to Temperance for one weekend! Just to see Silas and say goodbye to him one last time!”

o Rose in the doctor’s office, looking at two heartbeats on an ultrasound.

“He gets her knocked up, and with twins, no less!”

o William talking over the screen again, “Father wanted her to get a quiet abortion and marry Irwin, but she said no. She chose that cocky asshole over good breeding and respectability, even after what he did to me!”

Warner: “What did he do to you?”

o Young William walks out of his fancy apartment building. Two masked thugs grab him and put a sack over his head. The shove him into the back of a car and drive him out to the country. The car parks in front of an abandoned barn, and William is led inside and sat down.

William, sobbing pathetically, “Please! My father has money! He’ll give you whatever you want! Just don’t hurt me!”

One of the thugs pulls the hood off of William’s head. Sitting in front of him is young Silas, young Abner and some other army buddies standing behind him.

Silas smiles brightly, “Hello, William. We’re going to talk about Rose.”

Abner raises a giant-ass knife and smiles evilly.

William screams in horror and terror, and keeps fucking screaming.

Older William (voice over): “It’s not important.”

o Silas holds baby Jack while William looks on approvingly, “I’m glad you chose to honor Cross family tradition and name him Jonathan. I wished to name my own son Jonathan, but you beat me to it. I’m sure Jonathan Benjamin will be a fine heir.”

Silas: “Jonathan is a stupid name. I’m just gonna call him Jack.”

o Silas fights a battle ferociously in the middle of a town, William: “Silas goes out and becomes a fucking hero.”

o Silas holds up the head of Achison, “He killed the Premier of Gath. _That’s_ why everyone wanted to make him king. Because he’s a cold-blooded murderer.”

o Silas is crowned king of Gilboa. Rose watches and applauds proudly, while William scowls in the background. (end music)

o Warner: “Pride is a sin, William. A man must want to be king for the right reasons.”

William: “Do you want Carmel back or not?!”

Warner, “I do. And I look forward to accepting it from you as king.”

William: “Good. Do whatever you have to, just make sure Ammon and Gilboa end up at war. I’ll do the rest to make sure Silas goes down.”

  * Outside, a barracks of tents have been set up for the AFG, Adam, Liam, and Ryan stand around waiting, and David comes up to them.



Liam, “Hey, are we calling you general, now, or are you still just David?”

David, “Just stick with David, for now,” he changes the subject, “I heard about what you all did at Nob. I would’ve talked to you all earlier if I’d have had the chance. I’m really proud of all of you guys.”

Ryan, “Thank you, sir, uh, David.”

David, “Ryan, right?”

Ryan, “Yeah, Ryan Hitt. I was the one with the piano.”

Liam, “He’s the reason we were able to make it to the van in the first place.”

David, “Uh, well, congratulations of being heroes.”

Adam, “Thank you! It’s really an honor to hear that from you!”

David, “It looks like I’m gonna be going to Royal Council in a couple weeks, I’d like you guys to come with me.” The boys look incredulously at each other.

Liam, “Are you fucking serious, man?”

David shrugs, “I want someone to represent the AFG’s finest. I can’t be the only hero.”

Adam, grinning from ear to ear, “Okay!”

Ryan, “Yeah, sure.” Liam, “Fuck yeah, man!”

David smiles, “Good. I’ll be proud to show you guys off.”

  * In the dressing room, Chloe gets fluffed in her wedding dress. Her mother stands off to the side and cries and beams with pride.



Christine enters. Chloe, “Hi, Christine!”

Christine smiles warmly, “Oh, you look beautiful, darling.”

Chloe laughs happily, “Thank you!”

Christine, “Might a share a word with you in a slightly more private place?

Chloe, “Okay.”

They step into an isolated corner, and Christine lowers her voice, “You know, you’re an absolutely lovely girl. I’m delighted to have you as my daughter-in-law.”

Chloe, “I’m glad to be joining the family!”

Christine, “Yes, dear, that’s what I wanted to talk about. You still have time to leave.”

Chloe, “Leave? Why would I leave?”

Christine, “I was in much the same position when I married William. I barely knew him, but he was rich. He had enough outward charm for me to believe that it didn’t matter if we had nothing in common. I’d fall in love with him, and after all, everyone expected his father to be king. That never happened. Rose married the man she loved, and she’s the one who became queen. Twenty-five years later, they’re still married. William and I had an ugly divorce, and Andrew was caught in the middle of it all. He denies it, but I know it hurt him badly. I know Andrew can’t possibly have fallen in love this quickly. I’m afraid all he wants form you is a baby.”

Chloe, “Yeah, I know.”

Christine, “Pardon?”

Chloe, “Andrew told me, all he really wants is a baby oven, and I’m cool with that. Maybe things would be better if William had been honest with you when you guys got married.”

Christine smiles, painfully, “Well, you’re just full of surprises.”

Chloe, “Queen Rose married for love, but hey, the man she loved cheated on her, and her kids hate her. Nothing is ever really guaranteed with love, but a prenup promises I get a shitload of money, no matter what happens. It’s not perfect, but I can live with it.”

Christine, “You’ll be propagating a family that made, and continues to make, its money off of war.”

Chloe, “Yeah, but, honestly? What family isn’t fucked up?”

  * ([“Runs in the Family” Amanda Palmer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6f0AdWLXHE)) Andrew talks to a person holding up a phone, “Is the stream working?”



Phone-holder, “Yes, everything is being streamed online, we already have 250,000 viewers.”

Andrew, “Excellent.”

He goes outside, and stands on the front steps of the cathedral, looking at the crowds outside.

He leans into the church worker from earlier, “Where are the cameras? Did you call this in like I paid you to?”

Worker, “I did! I swear I did, you can look at my phone records, they just didn’t show up! They must be photographing something more interesting!”

Andrew, “This is the closest thing Gilboa’s going to have to a royal wedding in a very long time, what could possibly be more interesting?!”

o Across town, Silas takes Seth out for ice cream. Dozens of frantic photographers climb over each other to shoot pictures through the window.

o In a rec room on the army base in Ammon, Isaiah hooks up a TV up to a live stream of the wedding.

Michelle, sitting in a wheelchair, turns to Jack, sitting next to her, “How happy are you that this isn’t your wedding?”

Jack, “Fucking ecstatic.”

o In Moab, William yells at a technician trying to hook his TV up to a live stream, “Oh my god, this is my son’s wedding, I need to be able to see it!”

Technician, “The stream’s not showing up! I don’t know what’s wrong!”

William, “Mother _fucker_!”

o Andrew stands up at the altar. Christine comes up and gives him a warm kiss on the cheek before sitting back down next to Rose. Chloe enters, escorted by her father, resplendent in her fluffy, pink-tinged wedding gown and pink diamond tiara. She beams at Andrew, who gives her a cold, impatient gaze in return. Chloe reaches him, and takes his hand.

The preacher, “Andrew, do you take Chloe to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Andrew, “I do.”

Preacher, “Chloe, do you take Andrew to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Chloe, radiant, “I do.”

Preacher, “I hereby pronounce you man and wife.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Andrew & Chloe's wedding aesthetics!: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hj9XNblgbBNiSVJs5QJ5hDrKKYYVLbux?usp=sharing


	19. S3, E7: Royal Council

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point in the story, it's probably worth checking out the style guide I made for the Kings universe: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22199524/chapters/58007341 It breaks down the history of the universe and the international power dynamics at play here.
> 
> Also, here's a list of all my royals: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uXCrr7jJlSBhtss2tCW1QsxhZX5-HmJ3/view?usp=sharing

**“Royal Council”**

David, Abby, Adam, Liam, and Ryan all climb out of the SUV where the Judd family and a large private jet stand waiting for them. King Warner and Queen Mae have thirteen children, and Mae is pregnant with another. Behind them, another SUV pulls up and Michelle and Monique get out.

King Warner, dressed up in a suit and a cowboy hat and boots, approaches David, “General Shepherd! It’s a delight to finally meet you face-to-to face!”

David shakes his hand, “It’s an honor to finally meet you, sir,” he gestures towards Abby, “I believe you’ve spoken with my diplomat, Abigail Hatch.”

Warner nods to Abby, “Indeed I have.”

David, “And these are my representatives of the AFG: Adam Solano, Liam Montrose, and Ryan Hitt.”

Warner pays no mind, “I would like you to meet my wife, Queen Mae.”

David shakes her hand politely, “Pleased to meet you.”

Warner goes on, “And our children: Wayne, Grace, Bonnie, Mackynzie, Hank, Rosaleigh, Colton, Brayden, Jaxon, Caetlynn, Maverick, Gideon, Skylyn, and of course, the little one we’re still waiting on.”

The boys all wear matching button-downs and the girls wear matching modest dresses. The oldest girl, Grace, uses sign language to talk to her siblings.

Warner, “You come from a large family, don’t you General?”

David, “Yes, the youngest of seven boys.”

Warner smiles congenially, “You know, General, I do believe God sent you to Ammon on purpose.”

David, trying his best to stay polite, “Is that so?”

Warner, “Silas Benjamin has taken quite a bit from me, and I believe this is my chance to get it back.”

David, making an awkward joke, “You aren’t planning on turning me over to Silas, are you?”

Warner, “You’ll be at the table! If you go back to Gilboa, it’ll be because you agreed to it!”

David, “I need to remember that.”

Warner, “Besides, you can’t give to me the greatest thing that Silas took from me.”

David, “And what is that?”

Warner, “The chance to kill Vesper Abbadon.”

  * At the Shiloh airport, Helen kneels and hugs Seth, “Listen to your father, and do your best to make me proud, all right?”



Seth, “Why won’t you come?”

Helen glances at Rose, “This is a trip for you and your father. I’ll be waiting for you when you get back, all right?” She stands up and goes over to Silas, “Call me if anything happens, all right?”

Silas: “I assure you, I’ve done this plenty of times before. If Rose could keep Jack and Michelle in line, she’ll do just fine with Seth.”

Helen glances at Rose again, “I just have to worry. Don’t let the other princes take him to any strip clubs.” She goes over and gives Seth another hug.

  * Inside the plane, Silas watches while Seth plays a game on his phone.



Rose speaks to him, “Where are we going to see Michelle?”

Silas: “I told you, there’s no guarantee she’ll speak to us. They’re staying at another hotel.”

Seth’s head perks up, “Michelle is going to be there?”

Silas: “She might be.”

Seth: “Can I meet her?”

Silas smiles sadly, “We’ll see, puppy.”

  * David, Michelle, and Abby go into the Palace of Aram ballroom, done up for Council. David looks around in awe. It’s a large, fancy ballroom, full of cameras and microphones, with seating for a large audience. In the middle of it all is a round table, with seven places set. David approaches the table and sees a placard reading “Gen. David Shepherd, Army of Free Gilboa.”



David: “Holy shit, this is real.”

The door opens again, and Queen Laura enters, followed by Steven and two teenage girls.

Laura: “David! Congratulations!”

David sees Laura, “What’s there to congratulate me for?”

Laura: “You’re at the table. That’s closer to being king than most people get. The purple is a good color for you, but you might want to change your hair back to blonde before it starts.”

David laughs nervously, “Monique said that we can’t get a decent box of dye on an army base, she’ll get us something in Damascus. I promise you, when my name is called, I’ll be blonde again.”

Laura laughs and hugs him, “I wanted to introduce you to Princesses Iris and Tabitha of Samaria, they both asked to see you.”

David looks at the teenage girls, “Um, hi, I’m David.” Iris and Tabitha giggle.

Iris: “You know, if you become king of Gilboa, that means I get to debate you at Royal Council in the future. I’m my family’s heir.”

David: “I look forward to it, but I have to be king first.”

Abby: “I brought David here to explain protocol. I want him to practice a few things.”

Laura: “Wonderful! This is my first Council as queen. I wanted to practice, too.”

Abby, “All right, come on. The monarchs enter, and they all stand behind their designated seat. They’re all called in order of their country’s founding. If a monarch doesn’t show up, their name is called again, and then one more time, and if they don’t sit down, Council is called off.”

David: “Has that happened before?”

Abby: “I think there was one king who refused to sit down, but that was a long time ago. Most of the time, they just refuse right after the call, so nothing happens in the first place.”

Laura: “Silas’s plane arrived in Damascus a few hours ago. He’s here.”

Abby: “The doesn’t mean he’ll show up.”

Michelle: “He’ll show up.”

Abby: “Do you want to practice stepping up?”

David: “Sure.”

The door opens again, and in walks Prince Quentin of Edom, looking like a blonde, preppy, evil version of Jack, “General Shepherd!”

Michelle mutters, “Oh, god.”

David: “Yes?”

Quentin: “In case you don’t know, I’m Prince Quentin, heir to the kingdom of Edom.”

David: “Pleased to meet you.”

Quentin: “I’m here to extend an invitation from the other heirs for you to come spend the evening with us,” he looks over at Steven, “Prince Steven, too, since he’s one of us."

David: “I’m kind of practicing my steps.”

Quentin: “All you have to do is step up when your name is called and then sit down. You want to really prepare, you need to come see the Prince Club.”

David: “Oh, yeah, Jack mentioned that.”

Quentin laughs, “How is Jack, anyway? I’ll miss seeing him.”

Michelle: “He’s fine.”

Quentin ignores Michelle and slaps David on the back, “Come on, we’ll take you out for a nice dinner and entertainment.”

David, “Okay. Will Iris be joining us? If it’s for the heirs.”

Quentin laughs and interrupts, “No chicks, man. Sorry, Iris.”

Iris: “It’s okay. There’s no Royal Council without Prince Club.”

Laura: “Steven, if you want to go, you can go.”

David looks at Abby.

Abby sighs, “Go. Michelle and I will go back to the hotel. You go make some alliances.”

Quentin laughs, “Sweet!”

  * David cowers in a bathroom stall, frantically calling Jack, “Jack! I need your help, I’m being dragged to Prince Club!”



Jack, over the phone: “HAAAA HAHAHA! You’re fucked, babe!”

David: “What am I supposed to do?”

Jack: “I told you, just keep talking about how much you love pussy. Worked for me for YEARS. You have an advantage being bi, you actually do enjoy pussy.”

David: “Goddamnit, you’re right, I do enjoy pussy.”

Jack: “Listen, do whatever you have to do, I’ll forgive it. Just don’t bring any diseases back and give them to me, okay?”

David, panicked, “Oh, god.”

  * Quentin leads Steven and David into a room where the other princes wait.



Quentin: “Hello, lads! Today we’re joined by our latest addition, Prince Steven of Moab, and our new representative from Gilboa, General David Shepherd!”

David, “Uh, hi.”

Prince Anthony of Aram steps forward and shakes their hands, “I’m Prince Anthony of Aram, and the one hosting you gentlemen, tonight. These are my brothers, Prince Mark and Prince Eric.” They both introduce themselves, more hand-shaking.

Quentin, “I believe you’ve met the Shaw boys: Michael, Fredrick, and Leon. Since they aren’t technically princes, we’re not supposed to let them in here, but we’re nice, so we do.”

The Shaws all glare at David.

David: “Yes, we’ve met. Pleased to see you again.” The Shaws offer a half-hearted hello.

Quentin, “And there’s too many fucking princes of Ammon. Wayne’s the heir, so he’s the only one who matters.”

Wayne: “I’m the only one over twenty-one.”

Steven: “I’m eighteen, am I allowed to be here?”

Quentin slaps him on the back, “You’re a fucking prince, you can do whatever the fuck you want. Leon’s seventeen. Queen Mae just won’t let the younger princes gets corrupted by the Prince Club’s sinful influence.”

Anthony: “Tell me, David, how’s Jack doing?”

Prince Eric pipes up, “Yeah, feels it’s not really Prince Club if Jack doesn’t get in a fistfight with someone.”

David: “He’s doing well. He’s glad to be out from under his father’s thumb.”

Fredrick: “He gave up his crown so he could suck dick. He’d better be happy.”

David laughs uncomfortably, “Yeah, well, he’s definitely happy these days."

  * Abby and Michelle sit at a fancy hotel bar. Abby, slurring slightly: “It’s only been like y’know, my dream since high school, to be an advisor at Royal Council. But y’know, I’m used to it. Men just come in and stomp all over what I want.” Michelle grabs the bottle and takes a swig directly from it.



Abby: “Should you be drinking?”

Michelle: “Probably not,” she takes another swig, “We should get laid.”

Abby: “What?”

Michelle: “I’m here because Silas is an asshole, right? He pissed me off, so I should do something to piss him off! If David’s off having fun, we should be having fun, too!”

Abby: “I like the way you’re thinking.”

Michelle: “I got fucking shot! Now I’m gonna get laid!”

  * David sits in a strip club staring in horror at a stripper giving him a lap dance. [Something loud and obscene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr-BTIQ6tx4) pounds over the speakers. Quentin whoops and makes it rain.



Wayne sits in another chair with a stripper grinding on him, “Oh, this is a sin!”

Michael, Leon, and Fredrick stuff money into another stripper’s thong. Anthony pours a bottle of pricey champagne over another stripper’s boobs while his brothers cheer and clap. Steven gets a lap dance and enjoys himself.

David: “So, uh, this is how you make political alliances, huh?”

  * Michelle approaches a hot, chiseled-looking dude at the bar, “What’s up?”



Dude: “Hi.”

Michelle: “My friend and I are in town for Royal Council. We’re advising David Shepherd.”

Dude: “That’s cool.”

Michelle: “I got fucking shot, do you want to see?!”

Dude: “What?”

Michelle starts unbuttoning her top, “Look!”

Dude reaches over and stops her, “No, that’s okay!”

Michelle laughs, “You wanna go to my room?”

Dude: “I’m gay!”

Michelle freezes, her smile falls, “Fucking seriously?”

Dude: “Yes, I have a boyfriend!”

Abby staggers over, “Michelle, let’s go to the pool.”

Michelle: “I can’t go swimming, not until the wound heals!”

Abby starts to push her away, “Come on!”

  * In the strip club, Quentin leans in to talk to David, “So tell me, man. You’re a fucking hero. You must be drowning in pussy.”



David grimaces, but then, suddenly inspired, he sits up, faking confidence, “Up to my neck in pussy.”

Quentin: “Sweet.”

David: “Girls just throw their pussies at me. They just launch them. Like grenades.” He mimes a rocket launcher.

  * Michelle and Abby dangle their legs in the hotel pool. Michelle chugs from the bottle. Like Silas, drunk Michelle is ALL CAPS Michelle, “WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?!”



Abby: “What?”

Michelle: “All the guys I like turn out gay! I was THIS fucking close to having a relationship with David! THIS CLOSE! And I said no, I’ve sworn off sex and romance, and he says okay. AND THEN HE TURNS AROUND AND SLEEPS WITH MY FUCKING BROTHER!”

Abby laughs.

Michelle: “It’s not funny!” Her voice goes high-pitched, and she starts to cry, “You know what the worst part is?”

Abby: “What?”

Michelle: “They’re so fucking good together!”

Abby: “Yeah, they make a good couple.”

Michelle: “Seriously, like, Jack is so happy! And I’m so happy for him! But I want a David, too!”

Abby leans in and kisses Michelle. Michelle kisses back, and they awkwardly fall over onto the ground.

  * In a limo, David sits in one seat with two girls on either side of him, while Quentin sits in another seat with two girls on either side of him.



Quentin: “This is the best part of being royal, man!” The girls laugh and purr.

David: “Yeah, this is nice.”

Quentin grows more serious, “Freaked me out when Jack gave it all up. I liked him, thought he understood me.”

David: “Yeah, I like Jack, too. He’s saved my life a few times.”

Quentin: “Made me think about shit, you know? Like, if Jack can give it up, can I give it up? Do I really want to be king? If Jack’s gay, am I gay?”

David: “I think you’ll be fine.”

  * In his hotel room, the two girls, Tiffany and Amber, go and sit on the bed.



Tiffany: “So what do you want to do tonight?”

David: “Look, Quentin is paying for everything, so you don’t have to worry about that. I’m sure you’re both very very good at what you do, but I have a boyfriend and I love him very much.”

Amber gasps, “Is it Jack Benjamin?!”

David looks at her, exasperated.

Amber: “I knew it! I knew Javid was real!”

Tiffany: “I could tell you’re bi. You have that bi aura.”

David: “I don’t like labels. The Japanese have this word, ryototsukai, and, you know what? Never mind. I’m hungry. Do you want some Chinese food?”

  * Michelle and Abby stagger down the hallway back to their room.



Abby: “Oh, fuck, I am going to be so hungover! My first Royal Council, and I’m going to be hungover as fuck!”

Michelle: “It’s not Royal Council if half of the advisors aren’t hungover.” They pass David’s room.

Michelle: “I hope David had fun. Wonder what he’s up to right now.”

  * David sits on his bed in between Tiffany and Amber. They all eat Chinese food and watch Late Night. On the TV, a parody version of Royal Council is set up.



A parody king: “General Shepherd, what are your qualifications for being king?”

Parody David lifts his shirt to reveal his abs, “This.” The monarchs are all dazzled.

“Do you have any other qualifications?”

Parody David stands up, turns around and seductively rubs his ass, “This.”

“DAVID SHEPHERD IS KING!”

“I CONCUR!”

“I CONCUR!”

Irl, Tiffany and Amber laugh while David looks on in dismay.

  * In the morning, Monique makes the final adjustments on David’s uniform. His hair has been dyed back to its natural shade of blonde.



Monique: “The other boys are just getting some off-the rack suits with some insignia and buttons sewn on. But if you’re going to be representing us on camera, I wanted to make sure you all had real uniforms.”

David: “Shit, this looks good, Monique.”

Monique: “I’m just glad you aren’t hungover, too.”

Behind them, Michelle and Abby are slumped over in chairs, wearing a feminine version of the AFG uniform. They are both back to their natural hair color.

Abby: “I swear, this is the last time I’m going to drink at Royal Council.”

Monique: “You two come here, I want to see how you look next to David.”

Michelle and Abby get up and go over to stand next to David.

Monique: “Almost makes us look like a real army.”

Michelle stares at her reflection, “I hope Silas sees this.” She pulls a small object out of her pocket and turns toward David, “Come here.”

David: “What?”

Michelle pins the medal that David won for saving Jack on his lapel, “Jack wanted me to make sure you wore this.”

  * In his hotel room, Silas shows Seth how to tie a tie while Rose looks on. The crown of Gilboa sits on a shelf nearby.



Silas: “Some day, you’re going to sit at that table, and you’re going to make me proud.” Rose wipes away a tear and looks away.

  * In the hotel lobby, David stands with Abby, Michelle, and Monique in front of the hotel’s front door, Adam, Liam, and Ryan behind them. On the other side, cameras flash, and a huge crowd has gathered.



David: “Are you ready?”

Abby: “Let’s do this.”

They all go through the door. Cameras flash madly, and AFG flags wave. David pauses briefly to look at all of it and be overwhelmed, but then hurries on into the waiting limo.

  * In their hotel room, Rose makes a final adjustment to Silas’s tie.



Rose: “Are you ready?”

Silas stands, eyes shut, in deep contemplation.

Rose: “Silas!”

Silas: “We’re not going.”

Rose: “What?”

Silas: “God is telling me not to go! I can’t ignore a message from God!”

  * At the palace of Aram, David gets out of his limo, and is once again hit with blinding camera flashes. At the palace of Aram, David gets out of his limo, and is once again hit with blinding camera flashes. He helps Abby, Michelle, Monique and the boys out of the limo.



o At the army base, everyone else watches a live feed of David going into the palace.

Shay: “Shit, those are nice uniforms.”

Joel: “Yeah, Monique did good.”

Jack: “Dad’s not there, yet.”

o Inside, David and Abby are led into a room where the monarchs wait with their advisors. The kings are generally on the upper end of middle-aged, but King Lawrence of Edom stands out as significantly older than the rest.

Laura rushes over, “David! You’ve made it!”

Shaw glares from a corner. The other kings cast nervous glances.

Warner approaches David, “Welcome to Royal Council, General Shepherd.”

David: “Where’s Silas?”

Laura: “He hasn’t come.”

David: “What? Council doesn’t go forward without him!”

Laura: “He has until his name is called!”

  * David stands at the end of the line of monarchs, behind Laura, a gap where Silas should be. The door opens, and the kings file into the room, their advisors beside them.



David, “Oh, fuck.” He starts walking, Abby beside him, following Laura. He enters the room, and every eye is on him. He looks around, sees Michelle, Monique, and the Bros in the audience, Quentin and his sister, Ashley, and the other royal families, but no sign of Rose or Seth.

Michelle, her heart breaking: “Silas isn’t here.”

The kings take their respective places around the table. Prince Anthony reads the list of names. One by one, the kings step forward and sit: King Lawrence Meritt of Edom, King John Fairweather of Samaria, King George Busko of Aram, King Warner Judd of Ammon, Premier Gerald Shaw of Gath.

“King Silas Benjamin of Gilboa.” Nothing. Michelle wipes away tears.

“King Silas Benjamin of Gilboa.” David looks at the empty seat, trying to hide his anger.

“Silas Benjamin!” David lowers his head.

Prince Anthony: “With the absence of King Silas, Royal Council cannot be held.”

Michelle sobs.

o Up in his hotel room Silas stands at a window, looking down at the Palace of Aram, “See what happens without me.”


	20. S3, E8: The Golden Palm

**“The Golden Palm”**

Everyone in the ballroom reacts in dismay as Royal Council has been called off. Kings whisper furiously to their advisors.

A TV reporter speaks to a camera, “This is the first time King Silas of Gilboa has refused a Royal Council. He’s usually notable for his enthusiasm at Council.”

In the audience, Monique does her best to comfort Michelle, and Michelle tries to pull herself together.

David stands awkwardly, trying not to look like a chump.

Abby goes up to him, “What the fuck is Silas thinking? Now everyone here is mad at him, and nothing is resolved!”

David: “Silas is all about pulling the big stunt. Can’t pull a bigger stunt than not showing up.”

King George of Aram approaches David, “Thank you so much for coming, General Shepherd.”

David, “It was an honor to be invited, your majesty.”

George: “It’s a tradition for the king of the host country to invite the kings and their families to dinner after Council. I’m keeping that tradition going, and this time, you and your advisor are invited, but Silas is not.”

David: “Thank you, I look forward to being there.”

Prince Anthony stops by to speak to David, “You did good, even if you didn’t get to sit down.”

David: “Thanks.”

Michelle and Monique come over, and David hugs Michelle, “I’m so sorry.”

Michelle sniffs, “It’s alright. I’m not surprised.”

The other monarchs start to leave.

David motions for everyone to follow them, “Come on.”

Laura comes up to David, “This is a disappointment. I you want, I can try making the call again.”

Michelle: “If here’s not here right now, he’ll never show up.”

David: “Yeah, best to cut our losses and see what our next step is gonna be.”

  * Back at the base, everyone watches the TV, slumped over in disappointment.



Asher: “David was gonna do good, too.”

Jack: “Dad would never let David show him up. Of course he’d do this.”

  * David exits the palace. Ahead of him, King George and Queen Gloria say goodbye to the departing kings as they get into their limos. Suddenly, an explosion goes off, and everyone is knocked over.



o At the base, the explosion is seen on TV. Jack jumps to his feet and screams, “David!”

o In his hotel room, Silas sees the explosion, “God is looking out for me! God saved my life today!”

o At the palace, the sound of screaming and car alarms. David staggers to his feet. People run in chaos. Nearby, Laura lays clutching her bleeding arm. At the limos, Queen Gloria cries over King George, bleeding from the neck.

Michelle crawls over to Laura, “I’ve got you, you’re gonna be alright!” First responders, security men, and police officers come rushing in.

Something catches David’s eye. A man walks calmly into the chaos. David catches a clear glimpse of him. He sees odd bulges under his coat, and him reaching for his pocket. Without thinking, David grabs the gun from a nearby downed security guy, lunges forward, and shoots the man in the head, killing him. He rushes over, and sees a bomb strapped to his chest beneath the jacket.

Michelle tends to Laura, she says to Steven, “Give me your tie!” Steven hands it over to her, and she ties a tourniquet around Laura’s arm. David rushes back to where Michelle kneels.

Michelle, “Get her to an ambulance!” David scoops Laura up and carries her to the area where ambulances come roaring up.

A gurney rolls out and David puts Laura on one, “She’s the queen of Moab!”

The Aram security guys pull a wailing Queen Gloria away from the body of King George.

o At the base, Jack holds his hands over his mouth and watches in horror. He sees David on TV, kneeling next to an injured person, “There he is! There’s David! He’s okay!”

Shay points to the screen, “There’s Michelle!” Jack collapses to his knees.

o Inside the palace, Abby struggles to find someone who knows what’s going on, and Monique follows her. She finds a TV screen re-playing footage of the explosion.

o Outside, David directs Liam, Adam, and Ryan where to go and what to do. They all rush to aid the wounded, looking heroic and competent while they do so, all while cameras roll and flash.

Eventually, with the palace courtyard cleared of the injured, David, disheveled and covered in blood, stands with Adam behind him, and watches police bag up the body of the second bomber.

He tells the interrogating police officer, “I saw the outline of the bomb underneath his jacket, and I just shot. Somebody had to have gotten a picture.” Michelle comes up to him, grimacing and rubbing her shoulder.

Michelle, “Where are Monique and Abby?”

Adam, “I think they went inside.”

Police officer, “If we need more information, we’ll contact you."

David, “Yeah, okay. We should all go back in. Go get Ryan and Liam.” They go back inside the palace.

  * Inside, Monique and Abby stare up at a TV. David, Michelle, and the boys approach behind them. On the screen is a picture of King George, with his name and dates.



David, “Oh, no.”

Abby turns around and sees him, “David, there’s this picture!”

The TV screen changes, and a photo of David shooting the second bomber shows. In the background, Michelle helps Queen Laura, and Queen Gloria cries over King George.

Michelle: “Holy shit!”

Abby: “I know, it’s a hell of a picture.”

Monique: “If you were famous before, you’re gonna be a legend, now.”

David: “Who did this?”

Abby: “The picture?”

David: “No, the bombing.”

Abby: “It was a suicide bomb. It’s probably the same group that attacked the palace at Gilboa. The Amalekites.”

David: “Can we get to the hospital, see Laura? Or at least talk to her people? They probably know what’s going on better than we do.”

  * In his hotel room, Silas looks at the picture of David shooting the bomber on his phone. He zooms in on the image of Michelle in the background.



He smiles, sadly. “Look at our daughter, Rose.”

Rose comes over and looks, “What uniform is that?”

Silas, “The uniform of the Army of Free Gilboa, apparently.”

Rose, “They’re not an army! Just having uniforms and calling Shepherd ‘general’ doesn’t make them an army!”

Silas: “She saved lives today. Can you believe it?”

Rose sighs, “I can’t say I’m surprised.”

Silas looks fondly at the image of Michelle, but then his phone receives a call. He answers, “Yes?”

It’s Helen, “I’ve been trying to reach you for hours! Why is it that I can’t directly call you?!”

Silas: “Some sort of security protocol, I’d imagine.”

Helen, annoyed, “Is Seth alright?”

Silas, “He’s fine. God was protecting the both of us when he told me not to go to Council.”

Helen, “I want him to come home as soon as possible.”

Silas, “There’s going to be a funeral for King George. Seth has to represent Gilboa with me.”

Helen, “No, no, no! That is completely unacceptable! We don’t know who it is making these attacks, and until we do, I want Seth to be in the safest place possible!”

Silas, “My security team is perfectly capable of keeping us all safe!”

Helen, “You don’t even know who is behind these attacks! How are you supposed to protect against someone you can’t even identify?!”

Rose interrupts, “Is she talking about Seth?”

Silas nods.

Rose, “Send him back. We can represent Gilboa together.”

Silas sighs, “All right, Helen, I’ll see when the soonest we can send him back is.”

Helen, “Thank you, Silas!”

Silas, “He won’t be able to meet his sister, but he’ll be safe.”

  * In a car on the way to the hospital, David texts Jack, “I’m ok. I can’t talk, but I’m ok. Are you ok?”



He receives a text back, “I’m holding it together.”

David smiles a tiny bit, “I love you.”

Jack, “I love you, too.”

  * At the hospital, David, and Michelle go into Laura’s room. Her arm is bandaged and in a sling. Steven sits next to her bed.



Laura, “There are the heroes. You two are getting medals from Moab. Anthony just messaged me, he says Aram wants to give you both medals, too.”

David: “His father just died.”

Laura: “The obligations of monarchy never cease. I guarantee you’ve both been invited to the funeral. It would be a good move if you went. You should get some interviews lines up, too. It’s excellent press, the kind that’s near impossible to come by. You’re a real hero, now.”

David: “I really should get back to Ammon. If this is some kind of new terrorist group, I need to take them into consideration with what we do next.”

Laura: “See if you can find a 24-hour dry cleaning place and get your uniforms cleaned.”

Michelle: “We need to go to the funeral. We have to be seen making peace.” A fresh blood spot is on Michelle’s shoulder.

David, “Michelle, you’re bleeding.” He reaches over to touch her shoulder, but she pulls away.

Michelle: “I just saved a whole bunch of bleeding people. I’m covered in blood.”

David, “No, this is where you got shot.”

He puts his hand on her shoulder, and she cries out, “Ah!”

David: “I’m gonna get a doctor to look at you.”

Michelle, “No, don’t!”

David goes out to the waiting room, where he asks a nurse for a doctor.

Michelle follows him, “David, I’m fine!”

David looks at her, “It was a mistake letting you come this soon.”

Michelle: “Yeah, well, I just saved Laura’s life, and a whole bunch of other lives!”

A doctor comes out, “Can I help you?”

David, “Can you look at her shoulder? She got shot two weeks ago, and I’m afraid she re-injured herself.”

Michelle, “No, I didn’t!”

Doctor: “Two weeks ago? What are you doing being active this soon?”

The doctor and David gently push Michelle into a seat, and open her blouse. The bandages on her shoulder are bloody.

Doctor: “I’ll have to admit you, there’s a good chance you’re going to need surgery.”

Michelle, “No! I’m tough! I can take pain!”

Doctor: “If this isn’t treated immediately, you could be left permanently disabled.”

Michelle, starting to cry, “I’m Silas Benjamin’s daughter, goddamnit! I’m not weak!”

Doctor, “You aren’t invincible. You have limitations.”

Michelle: “Yeah, I know, I have to take anti-rejection meds because of my heart. I never go anywhere without a three-months supply on me, in case I need to run.”

Doctor, “That’s not it. You are human, and humans need to recover after they get hurt. I’ll see about getting you examined.”

Michelle cries, “No, I’m fine! I’m always fine!” The doctor goes off.

David, softly, “Michelle, you need surgery.”

Michelle: “I’ve _had_ surgery!”

David: “I’m sorry.”

Michelle sobs. A nurse comes and leads her away.

  * The next morning, David is awoken by the ringing of his phone. He grabs it and answers, groggily, “Yes?”



“Your presence is requested by King Anthony of Aram.”

David: “Right now?”

“He wanted to speak to you before his coronation.”

  * David is led through the palace of Aram, draped in mourning garb. He passes the room where King George lays in state. He is led into a room where Anthony sits with his head in his hands.



“General Shepherd is here, sir.”

Anthony looks up, his face stained with tears, “David! Oh, I’m glad you’re here, I need to talk to you!” he looks over at his aides, “I want to speak to him privately!” The aides leave the room.

David, “What do you want to ask me?”

He sits down next to Anthony, who sobs and shakes his head, “I’m not ready to be king! I can’t be king yet!”

David, “Do… you want me to give you a pep talk? Tell you you’ll do fine?”

Anthony: “What made you decide that you wanted to be king?”

David: “It wasn’t my decision. Ephraim Samuels decided that he’d make me king, and then he went and died! If I’d had any say in it… things would be different now.”

Anthony: “Something made you choose to go along with it, though.”

David sighs, “I- I’ve just been trying to do the right thing. If you want me to tell you that being king is going to be fine for you, I’ll be honest: I’m not even king yet, and it’s fucking awful. I’ve done things that I never wanted to do, and I’ve made decisions that I don’t ever want to make again.”

Anthony sobs, “Oh, god.”

David: “I do it because someone has to. That’s pretty much all there is to it. I will give you one piece of advice, though, something a friend of mine gave me.”

Anthony: “What?”

David: “Stop being a pussy and lead your people.”

  * Anthony is crowned King of Aram. Queen Gloria weeps as Anthony takes his vows. Off to the side, the other kings cast glances towards David.



David looks around his surroundings nervously. Other people whisper and look at him. With the other kings, King Lawrence of Edom gives an especially judgmental look.

Anthony’s wife, Erin, puts the crown on Anthony’s head, and the crowd applauds. Anthony looks out at David, and David gives him an encouraging smile

  * David and the boys get their pictures taken from a newspaper, wearing casual clothing. The boys happily mug for the camera while David hangs back. He smiles proudly but somewhat warily at them, having gone through this hero bullshit before and knowing full well what comes next.



  * That evening, they all sit at the hotel bar, drinking.



David, “Listen, I’m really glad for you guys to be getting the recognition you deserve.”

Adam, “You must be used to this shit, huh?”

David, chagrined, “Almost.”

The bartender comes over carrying a bottle of Patrón, “The gentleman over there has sent this. He says heroes should be drinking top shelf.”

Liam, “Aw, sweet!” David looks over and waves his thanks as the bartender pours out four shots.

David, “Are any of you even over 21?”

Ryan, “I’m 22.”

Liam, “Who the fuck cares? We can’t bring this shit back to Ammon, so let’s not waste any!” He grabs his glass and knocks it back. Everyone else follows suit.

There’s the sound of giggling, and over in the bar’s corner, a group of attractive young women whisper and wink.

David takes another shot, “Enjoy this hero shit while you can, okay? You wouldn’t believe how fast it can all turn on you.”

Ryan, “Come on, you seem to be doing pretty good.”

David, “I wasn’t doing so good when I was tied to a stake, ready to get shot.”

Liam grows a little bit more serious.

David, “I’m not gonna do anything like that to any of you guys, but you get the point. When you’re a hero, people start _expecting_ shit from you, and when they find out you’re just some douche who got lucky, it all falls apart.”

Liam, “Dude, I dunno what the fuck you are, but you are way more than just _lucky_.”

Adam, “I didn’t just get lucky at Nob. I mean, I knew what I was doing. I knew it was risky, but, if I thought I’d be relying on luck alone, I wouldn’t have done it.”

David smiles little bit, sadly, “Can I ask you guys a question?”

Adam, “What?”

David, “Why’d you join the AFG? What was it about me that made you decide that I was worth following?”

Liam, “First of all, you should know that Adam is your biggest fanboy. Like the whole time we were going through training, he was like, I can’t believe I met David that one time. Do you think he’ll show up today? Do you think he’d remember my name?”

Adam, “Shut up, man!”

Ryan, “I was in the army and fucking hated it. I was watching all my friends die, and for what? Fuckin’ Silas?” He shakes his head and takes a shot.

Liam gets kind of serious, “I know I’m supposed to have some sort of deep fuckin’ reason, but I just kind of wanted to join. I mean, how often do you get to be a part of something like this? I wasn’t kidding myself, I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but, no matter what, it beats the hell out of staying home and working some shitty retail job.” He glances over at the still giggling group of women in the corner, “Plus, I get a ton of chicks.”

David rolls his eyes, “Just make sure you wear protection.”

Liam, “Oh, come on, like the whole tank thing hasn't gotten you laid."

David grins a little bit, “It's gotten me a prince.”

Liam, "Oh, shit, are you serious?!” David nods.

Ryan, to Liam, "Seriously, man? It’s been pretty obvious.”

Liam, "Well, you never said anything!"

David, "That's for a reason. I don't want anyone trying to hurt Jack so they can hurt me, so keep your voice down." He looks over at Adam, “What about you? Why are you here?”

Adam, softly, “I-I wanted to leave home, anyway. My dad was killed when I was eight.”

David, “I lost my dad in the war, too.”

Adam, “My dad wasn’t in the army- he was just killed.”

David looks at him, “Shit, I’m sorry, man.”

Adam, “I like being in the AFG. I like that we all have this cause in common. It’s kinda like a family, really. It’s the first time in my life that I’ve ever really felt like I belonged somewhere. I did the thing at the checkpoint because you defend your family, right?” He looks at the other guys, and then shrugs, “It’s what I told the newspaper interviewer, anyway.”

David, “I’m sure Silas will hate reading all of that.”

Liam, “Fuck Silas!”

Ryan, “Fuck Silas!”

David pours out four shots. He lifts his in a toast, “Fuck Silas!” The others all raise their drinks and chime in, “Fuck Silas!” and they all knock back their shots. Across the room, the group of women all laugh and shout, “Fuck Silas!”

Liam looks at David, “Hey, you guys can stay here, but I’m going over there!”

Ryan, “I have a girlfriend.”

Liam looks at Adam, “Adam?” Adam grins and blushes.

David, “Go have fun. Just don’t so anything stupid, okay?”

Liam, “Yeah, yeah, okay.” He grabs Adam’s shoulder, “Come on!” They both go over to where the women sit giggling. Liam, “Hey, ladies…”

David watches it and slowly grows more serious. He pours himself another shot and drinks it.

  * The next morning, David, the boys, Monique, and Abby stand in Michelle’s hotel room, dressed in black.



David, “Look, as long as you keep your arm in a sling, you can go to the funeral with us.”

Michelle: “Is Silas gonna be there?”

Abby: “Yeah, I got a confirmation. But given Silas’s recent behavior, that might not mean anything.”

Michelle: “He wasn’t there to see me. I won’t be there to see him.”

David, “Okay.”

Michelle: “If you speak to Silas, don’t give him some shoulder injury bullshit. Tell him that I had a choice to be there, and I chose not to.”

David, “All right. We’ll be back this afternoon to bring you to the medal ceremony.”

  * Crowds gather outside the palace of Aram. Silas and Rose arrive and get out of their car.



They are rushed by cameras and reporters, “King Silas! King Silas! Why didn’t you show up to Royal Council? Were you warned beforehand of the attack? Are you responsible for the attack?!”

Silas: “I’m here to pay my respects to King George!” His security guys push the reporters out of the way.

David’s limo pulls up. The Boys get out first, and David follows them.

Immediately, the mob abandons Silas and rushes David. “General Shepherd! General Shepherd!”

David, “Come on, it’s a funeral, show some respect!” He reaches into the limo and helps Abby and Monique out. Abby balks at the number of cameras.

  * In a receiving room inside, Silas and Rose speak to Queen Gloria, “You see, I had to take a stand the other day. To even refer to David Shepherd as a general legitimizes his would-be insurgency and undermines my authority as king.”



Gloria: “George was looking forward to seeing you.”

Silas: “I so wish that I could have the opportunity to speak to George again, I truly do.”

An aide comes up and speaks to Gloria, “Ma’am, General Shepherd and his guests are here.” Silas and Rose turn around and see David, the boys, Abby, and Monique standing there. The room goes quiet, and everyone stares.

While Silas gives his most deadly glare, David goes straight to Gloria, “You have my deepest condolences, your highness.”

Gloria: “Thank you very much, General Shepherd. Anthony was very grateful that you took the time to speak to him yesterday.”

David: “I do what I can. Have you met my advisors?” Monique and Abby step up, and David introduces them, “This is Abigail Hatch, my top diplomat, and Monique Broadnax, the artist who designed the AFG’s flag and uniforms. They’re both very talented. Behind them are Adam Solano, Liam Montrose, and Ryan Hitt. They represent the AFG’s finest.”

Queen Gloria graciously shakes hands with Abby and Monique, “Very pleased to meet you all.”

David steps back, and this time, his eye catches Silas’s. He can’t step away.

Silas, contemptuously, “General Shepherd.”

David, as polite as can be, “Hello, your majesty.”

Silas, “Where is Michelle?”

David: “She told me to tell you that she chose not to come.”

Silas steps up to David, looking him hard in the eye, their faces just inches away. David doesn’t back down.

Silas, “You aren’t a general.”

David, without missing a beat, “I never called myself a general, sir, it’s just what everyone else started calling me.”

Silas sneers and lowers his voice, audible only to David, “Make no mistake, I _will_ destroy you.”

David: “It’s in poor taste to be making death threats at a funeral, especially right in front of the widow.”

Silas steps away, still glaring.

Rose, with ice-cold composure, goes over and puts her hand on his shoulder, “Silas and I are going to go find our seats, now.” She gives David one final look of disgust and leads Silas away.

  * Later, David and Michelle stand, wearing their clean uniforms, Michelle in an arm sling, on a stage on the palace courtyard. A huge crowd is there to see them. Anthony stands to their side, an aide holding two medal boxes.



Anthony, “For service to the nation of Aram, I, King Anthony, hereby present the medal of bravery to General David Shepherd and Lieutenant Michelle Benjamin.” He pins the medals on their lapels (David’s beside the one he already has) and shakes their hands.

Laura, her arm also in a sling, steps up next, Steven beside her. She comments to Michelle, “We match!” Michelle smiles.

Laura, “For services to the nation of Moab, I, Queen Laura, present to General David Shepherd the medal of bravery.” Steven pins the medal on David’s jacket, and David shakes his hand.

Laura, “For saving my life, I present to Lieutenant Michelle Benjamin Moab’s highest honor, the Golden Palm.” Steven steps behind Michelle and clasps the medal behind her neck.

Michelle beams, proudly, “Thank you.” She looks out in the crowd, and sees Silas standing there. He sees her see him, and he applauds, tears of pride in his eyes. Michelle struggles to remain composed, and looks away.

Silas, to himself, “That’s my girl.”

  * Later, in their hotel room, Abby helps Michelle pack her things.



Michelle: “God, I’m sorry you have to do all this for me. Having your arm in a sling sucks.”

Abby: “I don’t mind. I always pack light. We just happen to be leaving with a lot more stuff than we came with.” She picks up Michelle’s two medal boxes, “Where do you want me to put these?”

Michelle: “Wherever you can find room. I’m gonna make Jack unpack everything for me.”

Abby: “Okay, well, I think I have everything packed. What time do we leave?”

Michelle: “We’re supposed to be at the airport by six, so we’ve got an hour or so.”

Abby sits down on her bed, across from Michelle. She looks down at her feet and thinks about what she’s going to say next, “Listen, this might be the last time in a while that we get some real privacy, and I have to ask you a question.”

Michelle: “What?”

Abby: “Were you serious about that getting laid stuff? I mean, vows to God, those are pretty big.”

Michelle shrugs: “I don’t know. I was fourteen when I made those vows. It was my way of taking control of a life I had no control over. When I made them… I never could have imagined that this is how my life would turn out. I’m still keeping the important parts, you know. Helping people as best I can. That’s never going to change. But the other parts, they might… mature a little bit. I guess I’ll see what life throws at me.”

Abby nods, “Good. I- I want you to know that… that kiss, it- it wasn’t just some random drunk thing. I- I’d wanted to kiss you for a long time.” Michelle stares at Abby, and Abby looks away.

Abby, “My dad told me that if I wasn’t going to pick a husband for myself, he’d find one for me. So he handed me off to Norman. When I got wind of this rebellion, I couldn’t run fast enough. I thought I’d be safe. I didn’t think Norman would be dishonorably discharged and come looking for me. When he came to Gath, I thought, I’m never going to be free. David can try to keep Norman away from me, but Norman will kill me before he lets me go. And then, through some miracle, he died. And I can think about what I want again. And I want you.”

Michelle stands up, and goes over to Abby. She bends over, and gently kisses her. Michelle sits down next to Abby, and they kiss with more passion.

Michelle, quietly, “I- I don’t really know how any of this works.”

Abby, “You mean, like, sex?”

Michelle: “Love. Romance. Sex is just a small part of all that.” Abby takes control, and gently pushes Michelle back into the bed. They kiss and make sweet, passionate love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna cut back posting a little bit just to Mondays and Fridays so I can make everything last longer and give me a little bit more time with the parts I'm still working on. I know you want more, and there's still plenty more! You'll just have to be patient!


	21. S3, E9: Sometimes a Lie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I've gotten so many more unsolicited hits since I added the F/F tag! Sorry it was such a slow burn. I love you, wlws, I hope I have satisfied your thirst!

“ **Sometimes A Lie** ”

FLASHBACK: young Rose, dressed in a perfect 1950s housewife circle skirt, pearls, and a butterfly brooch, putting the final touches on making her home perfect while her mother, Jane, looks on condescendingly.

Jane, “I honestly don’t understand why you’re making such a big deal out of all this. Silas is a man of simple taste, I’m sure just seeing you and the twins will be more than enough to make him happy.”

Rose, “I want him to come to a home that's nicer than the tent he sleeps in!”

Rose goes over to where infant Jack and Michelle play on the ground, dressed in fine clothes. Jack is noticeably bigger than Michelle, and he chews on a teething ring. Rose tries to take it away, but he starts crying.

Rose, “Mom, can you get Jack?”

Jane picks him up and tries to comfort him, “He’s teething, he needs to chew on something.”

Rose, “I don’t want anything in his mouth when Silas gets here!”

Jane, “He’s just going to be crying the whole time!”

Rose, frustrated, gives the teether back to Jack, who puts it in his mouth and stops crying. There’s a knock at the door.

Rose, “Oh! Give me Jack!”

Jane hands him over. Rose takes the teething ring out of his mouth, and puts it aside. She goes over to the door trying to hush Jack’s whimpering.

She opens the door, and Silas stands on the other side, in his army fatigues, holding a bouquet of roses, “Where’s my queen?!” Rose greets him with a kiss.

Silas, “There’s Jack!”

Jack starts crying.

Silas, “Oh, no.”

Rose, apologetically, “He’s teething.”

Silas, “Ah, he’s a Benjamin, he can handle a little pain.” He gently but warily pats Jack’s shoulder, “Where’s Michelle?” He looks over and sees Jane holding Michelle. He puts down the bouquet of roses, and goes over to her, “There’s my baby girl!” Michelle responds with a big, happy smile. Silas takes her in his arm and gives her a big kiss on the cheek, “At least someone’s happy to see Daddy!”

  * Rose has prepared a romantic candlelight dinner. She serves Silas a glistening, perfectly seared steak, looking like the ideal housewife.



Silas, “How did a lowlife like me ever get so lucky?”

Rose beams and sits down, “You’ve more than earned it.”

Silas, “I’ve had this exact dream I don’t know how many times, and it’s never been this good.” Suddenly, the sound of crying over the baby monitor. Immediately, Silas’s mood shifts to one of tense alertness, “Why- why is he crying?”

Rose, “I’m sorry.”

Silas, “I thought you put him to bed!”

Rose, “I did! He’ll cry himself out in a few minutes, you just have to wait. Enjoy your dinner.”

Silas gives a strained smile, “You’re right, I will.” He takes a bite of his steak, “Delicious.” Suddenly, a second baby starts crying, startling Silas and causing him to drop his fork.

Silas, “Now he’s making Michelle cry.”

Rose, “I told you, he’s teething. Babies cry when they teethe!”

Silas, “Why isn’t Michelle crying all the time?!”

Rose, “She’s not teething yet. It’s her condition, her growth is slowed.”

Silas, “Can you please make them stop?” Rose gets up and leaves without saying anything.

  * Rose and Silas make love at night.



Silas moans softly, “Oh, I’ve missed you so much.”

Rose, “I’ve missed you, too.”

They kiss passionately, when through the walls comes the sound of crying. Silas stops what he’s doing.

Rose, “Come on, ignore it, keep going.”

Silas, “You said you’d make him stop crying.”

Rose, “I did, but he’s an infant! Infants cry!”

Silas, “Michelle isn’t crying!”

Rose, “She’s not as healthy as Jack! She doesn’t have the energy to cry like he does!”

Silas, “I thought at the very least, at home, I wouldn’t be woken up by sirens going off all night like on the front. I’d be able to get some sleep.”

Rose, “I can ask my mother to look after them.”

Silas, “I’m not sending my children away to a woman who hates me.”

Rose, “Then what do you expect me to do, give Jack some NyQuil?”

Silas gives her a look.

Rose, “I am not giving him NyQuil!”

Silas sighs heavily and rolls onto his back. He puts his hand over his eyes, “Please, Rose, just make him stop crying.”

  * Breakfast. Rose and Silas both look tired. Michelle sits quietly in her highchair while Rose tries to get Jack to drink from a bottle.



Silas, “There’s something wrong with him.”

Rose, “He’s teething!”

Silas, “This isn’t normal!”

Rose, “Normally, he’s quiet, you just got selected for leave at a bad time!”

Silas, “How long is he going to be like this?”

Rose, “Different teeth come in at different times, he should have all his teeth by the time he’s two…”

Silas, “Two?!”

Rose, “I don’t know what to tell you, Silas,” she makes an attempt at a joke, “He’s got your lungs.” Silas remains dour.

  * At church, Silas holds a very quiet Michelle while Rose tries to quiet a wailing Jack. Silas shuts his eyes and takes in a long, slow breath. Rose gets up and takes Jack outside.



  * In bed, Silas lies awake, the sound of crying still coming through the walls, “There is something wrong with him.”



Rose, “He’s a baby! Babies cry!”

Silas, “I haven’t gotten a single night’s sleep since I got here.”

Rose, “I haven’t gotten a single night’s sleep since they were born!”

Silas, “Please! Just make it stop!” Rose gets up.

  * In the nursery, Rose tries in vain to make Jack stop crying. She wipes tears from her eyes.



Silas appears in the doorway, shirtless and in his pajama bottoms, his muscular body decorated with scars, “I told you to make him stop!”

Rose, “Please, Silas, I am doing my best!”

Silas, his voice rising, “This is worse than the sirens on the front, because the sirens would at least fucking stop!”

Rose, “Silas, don’t yell.”

Silas, “I am here for rest and relaxation, so I can better lead my men when I go back! What the hell am I supposed to tell them when I go back and I’m even worse than before?!”

Rose, “You can go to a hotel.”

Silas, “I am going nowhere!”

Michelle starts crying.

Silas, “And now Michelle is crying!”

Rose, “Silas, please, you’re only making this worse!”

Silas, “I go into ruined towns, and I hear people screaming, begging for help, and half of the time I can’t help them!”

Rose gets up without saying anything, and walks past Silas.

Silas, “Where are you going?!” he follows her.

Rose, “Your yelling is only making him cry more!”

She goes downstairs into the living room, trying to get away from Silas.

Silas, “What about Michelle?!”

Rose, “She’ll cry herself out.”

Silas, his fury building, “Why doesn’t Jack do that?”

Rose, “He’s in pain!”

Silas, “Michelle has gotten open-heart surgery, she barely cries!”

Rose, “I told you, it’s because she’s weak!”

Silas, “My daughter is not weak! No child of mine is weak!”

Rose, “Just go to bed, Silas, please!”

Silas, in a rage, “I can’t go to bed! Not with all this screaming!”

Rose, “You’re making this worse!”

Silas, “You said you can make him stop!”

Rose, “I can’t! I’ve been trying but I can’t!”

Silas screams, “I’LL MAKE HIM STOP CRYING!”

Rose reflexively steps backwards, holding Jack close to her.

Silas goes eerily calm, his eyes blank and dead, his voice expressionless, “I’ll make him stop crying,” he holds his hands out, “give him here.”

Rose doesn’t respond, she just keeps trying to shush Jack.

Silas takes a step closer to her, a slight menace in his voice, “Come on, Rose. I know how to make him stop.”

Rose, “I won’t let you hurt him.”

Silas, “I’m not going to hurt him. I would never hurt my own child.”

Rose, “Just go to bed, Silas.”

Silas, more seriously, “Give him here.”

Rose, “No.”

Silas, “Give him here!”

Rose, “No!”

Silas, snapping, “I SAID GIVE HIM TO ME!”

Rose pushes him back, towards the front door. Silas tries to grab at Jack, by Rose holds him valiantly away while he shrieks.

Silas, “Just give him to me, and I will make him stop!”

Rose wrenches the front door open and pushes Silas through. She slams the door behind him and locks it.

On the other side, Silas pounds furiously on the door, “Rose! Rose! You can’t kick me out! Rose!”

Rose sobs and sinks down to the floor as she holds Jack close to her.

Silas, “Rose! You can’t do this! This is my house! ROSE!”

o In the neighbor’s bedroom, the neighbors wake up.

Neighbor Wife, “What is that?” Neighbor Husband goes to the window, and sees Silas still pounding and screaming at the door.

Neighbor Husband, “I’m calling the police.”

o Back down at the door, Silas has worn out a little bit, but he still pounds his fist against the door.

Somewhat pathetically, he pleads, “Rose… Rose, I’m sorry. Please, just let me in.”

A cop car pulls up behind him.

Silas cries, “It’s just the screaming… I can’t stand the screaming…” he sobs, “Please, let me in Rose…”

Two police officers go up to him, officer 1, “We’ve heard complaints of a man banging on a door and screaming.”

Silas looks back at them, astounded, “This… this is my house…”

Officer 2, “M-hm. Put your hands up.”

Silas, “Really, officers, this is my house. There’s no need-”

Officer 1 goes over and cuffs him.

Silas, “I’m a lieutenant general in the Gilboan army! I’ve won medals!”

Officer 2, “And right now, you’re disturbing the peace.”

Silas, “You seriously can’t be doing this to me!”

Officer 2, “Yes, I can.”

  * In the booking station, Silas, a blanket around his shoulders, makes his telephone call, “I fucked up, Ephraim, I’ll admit that, but I need your help right now! Are you seriously just going to leave me here?! You only said you wouldn’t help me out of another court martial, you didn’t say anything about if I got arrested!”



Silas pauses, listens, and then mumbles quietly, “It’s just disturbing the peace… I got into a fight at a bar, it’s nothing! Come on! Ephraim!” He leans his head back against the wall, dejected, and then hangs up the phone call.

Cop 2, “Tonight’s just not your night, is it?”

Silas gives him a filthy look as he’s led away.

  * In the booking cell, Silas sits between two other prisoners, completely miserable, a blanket draped around his shoulders. Another tough-tough-looking inmate gives him a threatening look.



Silas, “Don’t even fucking look at me. I’m in the army.” He drops the blanket from his shoulders, revealing his scars and buff physique. The inmate looks impressed and backs down.

  * In an office area, Cop 2 plots down a stack of booking papers on a secretary’s desk. The secretary is a young Thomasina.



She looks at the name and the booking photo, “Silas Benjamin?”

Cop 2, “You know him?”

Thomasina, “I know of him. He- he’s the leader of my husband’s unit.”

Cop 2, “Wow. So he wasn’t bullshitting me. Well, I found him pounding on his front door, screaming for his wife to let him back in. He can’t be that great.”

Thomasina gives Cop 2 an uncomfortable look, “Making the transition from the front to home is difficult on a lot of soldiers.”

Cop 2, “That’s a good excuse, but he still got arrested.”

  * Down in the booking pen, Silas sits, dozing.



A guard calls, “BENJAMIN!” His eyes snap awake.

Guard, “Your bail’s been paid.”

Silas, “What?”

Guard, “You’re leaving.”

Still stunned and somewhat bleary, Silas walks out of the pen and into the lobby of the police station. He looks around for Rose, but doesn’t see her.

Thomasina steps forward, “General Benjamin?”

Silas, “Yes?”

Thomasina, “I paid your bail.”

Silas, “Uh, thanks… Who- who are you?”

Thomasina, “My name is Thomasina Bright. My husband, Clarence, is in your unit. You’ve saved his life a number of times, and… I had to re-pay you.”

Silas, humble and gracious, “I can’t thank you enough. I’m still in a lot of trouble. General Samuels isn’t going to be happy about this.”

Thomasina, “This won’t be appearing on your record.”

Silas, “It won’t?”

Thomasina, “No. I’ve seen to it. This never happened. Go home and stay out of trouble.”

Silas, impressed, “Thanks. I’m not used to people just doing things for me.”

Thomasina, “It’s the least I can do.”

  * Thomasina gets out of a car in a shabby neighborhood. She crosses the street and unlocks the door of her home. Inside, she builds a fire, and sits looking at it. She opens her purse and takes out Silas’s booking papers. She looks at them for a moment, and then tosses them into the flames.



  * At the Benjamin’s home, Rose sits with her parents and William. For once, Jack sleeps quietly in her arms, while Jane holds Michelle.



Alister, “I told you, Rose, he’d turn out like his father.”

Rose, “He’s not like his father! This is the only time he’s been like this! It’s the stress of the war!”

William, “Rose, please, you’re too smart to be making excuses for him.”

Rose, “If Silas is just like his father, what does that mean Jack will be like?”

Jane, “If you get him away from Silas and give him a proper father figure, there’s hope for him.”

Rose shakes her head, angrily dismissive, “You’ve never given a damn about Jack and Michelle. You only pretend to care now because you can use them against Silas.”

Alister, “Don’t say that. We’ve only wanted the best for Michelle and Jonathan-”

The door opens, and Silas enters, looking sheepish and ashamed. Everyone stares awkwardly for a moment.

Silas, “My bail got paid.” Everyone looks at each other awkwardly. Silas, “I- I am so sorry.”

Rose once again reflexively holds Jack tighter, and he fusses a bit.

Alister gets up and goes over to Silas, “You’re going to leave here. You’ve never deserved my daughter, and now you’re turning violent-”

Rose, “Dad, stop it!” She stands up, and hands Jack over to Jane. She goes to stand between her father and Silas, “Please, let me speak to him alone.”

Alister, “I’m not leaving you alone with him!”

Rose, “Dad!”

Silas steps backwards, “He’s right- I should leave.”

Rose turns around, “No, Silas, I don’t want you to leave!” She turns back to Alister, and pushes him back to be with the rest of the family.

Rose, “Please, just let me talk to him. You don’t know what he’s going through on the front.” She turns away and goes up to Silas.

He looks at her with immense remorse in his eyes, “Rose, I am so sorry.”

Rose, “It’s fine, Silas. We all just need some sleep.”

Silas begins to weep, “Can you ever forgive me?” Rose doesn’t say anything.

William steps forward, “Don’t listen to him!”

Rose puts her arms around Silas, and hugs him. He sobs on her shoulder. She cries and runs her fingers through his hair. Slowly he sinks to his knees, still holding on to her nightgown.

William, “You are smarter than this, Rose!”

Rose, “You’ve never believed in him.”

William, “What’s going to happen when Jack starts crying again?”

Rose, “I’ll handle it.”

  * In the nursery, Jack fusses on his changing table. Rose pours out a small dose of NyQuil onto a spoon. Gently, she pushes it into Jack’s mouth. He squirms and cries at the bitter taste.



Rose, softly, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Drink it all.”

Eventually, she gets the whole dose into his mouth. She picks him up and hushes him. His movements begin to still.

Rose, “I’m sorry, Jack.”

  * Silas’s coronation, crowds gather and cheer.



Samuels gives his speech, looking grim and serious, “The people of Gilboa have asked God to deliver us a king, and now, God has delivered.” He casts an uncomfortable look over to his side, where Silas, Rose, and now toddler Jack and Michelle sit listening.

Samuels, “God also delivers earthquakes and floods. Beyond what God has so graciously given, the people of Gilboa have called for this. The people will get what they deserve.”

In the crowd, Thomasina and her husband Clarence watch the speech.

  * A reporter looks around the lobby of the palace. Thomasina approaches him, “Hello, are you Mr. Lannister?”



Reporter, “Yes, I am.”

Thomasina extends her hand, “Thomasina Bright, palace operations manager. I understand you’re doing a piece about King Silas.”

Reporter, “Yes, I am. I’ve been rather curious about what set of circumstances would have produced a king, so I’ve been looking into his family and childhood. Might I be able to speak with His Majesty?”

Thomasina, “King Silas is very, very busy, and an official biography has been published.”

Reporter, “Yes, I understand, but as a journalist, I found some parts of the biography, well, lacking. I’m particularly interested in details about King Silas’s father, Chris Benjamin-”

Thomasina, “Christopher Benjamin was a well-respected war hero, who unfortunately died before seeing his son crowned.”

Reporter, “As did the king’s mother, Suzanne Benjamin.”

Thomasina, “It was a tragic car accident.”

Reporter, “I found an autopsy report, and I would like to speak to His Majesty about some of the detail.”

Thomasina gives Reporter a long, appraising look, “I will have to ask King Silas.”

  * In Silas’s office, Silas sits quietly and seriously at his desk as Thomasina explains, “He says he has information about your father.”



Silas, “What kind of information?”

Thomasina, “He said he had an autopsy report.”

Silas looks up at her, “I’m not speaking to him. I’m not speaking to anyone.”

Thomasina, “Very well, sir.”

Silas sighs deeply and looks unhappy.

Thomasina, “Is something wrong?”

Silas, “I’d just rather this story not get published. Don’t worry- it’s nothing you can do.”

Thomasina, “I can speak to the reporter, try to dissuade him.”

Silas, “You don’t have to. The only person I want you to speak to is Reverend Samuels- he’s still not returning my calls.”

Thomasina, “I can see to both."

  * In Samuels’s new church, Samuels talks to Thomasina, “I’ve given my life over to God. I’m not baby-sitting Silas anymore.”



Thomasina, “He needs your guidance more than ever.”

Samuels, “He never listened to my advice before! I have never, ever been cursed with a more obstinate, insubordinate soldier than with Silas Benjamin. I can’t imagine he’d be any better as king.”

Thomasina, “And still you support his kingship.”

Samuels, “I support a lot of things.”

Thomasina, “I’m surprised you say no. Every day I have to turn away what feels like hundreds of men who are desperate to get the king’s ear.”

Samuels, “Silas doesn’t listen to anyone but himself.”

Thomasina, “I’ll be frank with you- most of the men trying to advise him are greedy fools. If he’s going to ignore someone, it should at least be someone with a moral backbone.”

Samuels sighs, “What exactly does Silas want from me?”

Thomasina, “For starters, he needs an advisor for his upcoming confirmation Royal Council. I doubt you’ll even have to say anything, but, he wants you there. He’s begged me to do anything I can to get you.”

Samuels shakes his head, “Silas is very good at playing helpless. Part of the reason I support his kingship is because I know him- he’s a sharp judge of character- he knows who the greedy fools are, and he doesn’t suffer them lightly. I trust him to find all the smartest and most capable men in Gilboa.”

Thomasina, “That’s just it, Reverend. King Silas has all the wisest men at his disposal, and still, it’s your advice he seeks.”

Samuels thinks for a moment, “I’ll meet with Silas. And consider what he has to say. But I’m not saying yes.”

Thomasina, “Thank you, Reverend.”

  * Reporter types away at his desk- spread around him are photocopies of autopsy reports and newspaper articles.



An editor approaches him, “Lannister, I’d like to speak with you in the conference room.”

  * An Editor and a Publisher stare down Reporter.



Editor, “Lannister, I’ve gotten some disturbing reports about how you find your stories.”

Reporter, confused, “I- what?”

Editor, “Have you ever fabricated a story?”

Reporter, “What? No!”

Publisher, “I received a call yesterday from several of the men you quoted in your article about drug use among veterans- all claiming that you paid them to let you use their names.”

Reporter, “I would never do that! I have always adhered to the strictest code of journalistic ethics!”

Editor, “These allegations have forced us to re-evaluate your current project, the one about King Silas’s parents.”

Reporter holds up a folder full of papers, “I have right here a copy of Christopher Benjamin’s autopsy report and several newspaper accounts- he was driving drunk, with his wife in the passenger seat, when he drove into oncoming traffic! He killed himself, his wife, and an innocent mother and two of her children!”

Editor, “I called the Temperance medical examiner’s office- no such autopsy report exists.”

Reporter, “No, no, no, I saw it! I held it in my hands!”

Publisher, “You’ve disgraced our entire publication, Mr. Lannister. We can no longer employ you, especially if you seek to publish slander about our nation’s king.”

Reporter, “This isn’t slander!”

Publisher, “You have ten minutes to gather your belongings, and security will escort you from the building.”

  * Samuels sits in the lobby of Silas’s office, reading a newspaper. The headline: _Disgraced Journalist Commits Suicide_. Thomasina sits at her desk, diligently creating a schedule.



The door to Silas’s office opens, and Silas enters with a boisterous, “Ephraim! You finally decided to help me out!”

Samuels gives him a look, “You beg me for my advice and when I finally show up, you keep me waiting.”

Silas, “I’m the king! I’m busy!”

Samuels puts down the newspaper and stands up, “What do you want, Silas?”

Silas goes over to Samuels and moves him towards his office, “I’ve got a number of things, actually. I want to hear your thoughts on economic reparations from Gath…” as he herds Samuels into his office he glances back at Thomasina, and gives her a thumbs-up.

  * At night, older Thomasina drives home in a fancy-ass car. She parks and steps out, dressed well. She ascends the steps of a fine townhome and goes inside. There, Clarence, wearing army fatigues, waits for her.



Thomasina sees him, “Welcome home, Clarence.” She puts her purse away.

Clarence, “Seriously? I come home, and you’re at work. You don’t return until the kids are in bed, and then you just give me a welcome home?”

Thomasina, “I told you, I had to stay late at work.”

Clarence, “Every time I come home on leave, you have to stay late at work.”

Thomasina, “I do important work.”

Clarence, “You make sure King Silas gets his coffee on time.”

Thomasina, sharply, “Are you just going to bad-mouth my job all night, or do you have anything useful to say? If you don’t, I’m going to bed.” She goes towards the hallway, but Clarence gets in front of her.

Clarence, “When was the last time you were able to tuck the kids in at night?”

Thomasina, “My mother takes good care of them.”

Clarence, “Your mother shouldn’t have to raise her own grandkids.”

Thomasina, “If you don’t want her taking care of the kids, maybe you should re-consider your career.”

Clarence, “I’m serving my country!”

Thomasina, “Because it’s only serving your country when there’s a gun involved. I determine who King Silas sees and what he does. I don’t have to say I’m serving my country in order to get respect. I make the money that gets my kids a nice house to live in. Our kids will never know the chaos we grew up in, because of King Silas, and I serve him daily. I do enough for my children. If you think they need more, you should be the one to give it to them. We’ve had this fight a million times. How many more times do we need to have it?” She pushes past Clarence, down the hallway.

  * Thomasina sits at her desk. A messenger places a big legal envelope on her desk. Thomasina opens it, and takes out the contents: petition for divorce. She smirks for a moment, and then signs the papers without hesitating.



  * The same day, Thomasina drives home and parks in front of her home. She sees an unusual car out front, but walks past. She opens the door of her home and steps inside. There, two uniformed soldiers talk to her mother and her two children: Audrey, 7, and Miles, 5. They’re all crying.



  * Wearing black and standing in front of a flag-draped coffin, Thomasina talks to Silas, “We were going through a divorce. I signed the papers and mailed them off, but I think he was killed before all that happened. I don’t know yet if I’m eligible for his widow’s compensation.”



Silas, “Don’t you worry about it in the slightest. After everything you’ve done for me, I’ll see that you receive everything you’re entitled to, and then some.”

Thomasina, “Thank you, sir.” (END FLASHBACK)

  * Present time, Thomasina goes into the council chamber, where Silas talks to his advisors.



Silas, “Of course Shepherd set the bomb off, who else could it have been?”

Thomasina looks over at the rows of seating and sees Seth sitting in a place where he can view everything.

Thomasina, “Don’t you have lessons?”

Seth looks up at her, “Dad says I’ll get a better education here than from anything a tutor can teach me.”

Thomasina looks back over at Silas and speaks up, “Sir, the Ammon ambassador wishes to speak to you.”

Silas, “Tell him that unless he’s handing over Shepherd he can fuck right off.” He looks up and sees Seth sitting there. Quietly, he adds, “Don’t talk like your dad, Seth.”

Thomasina, “I’ll speak to him.” She turns and leaves.

Silas thinks for a moment and looks back up at Seth, and then back at his advisors, “We should call it quits for today. We’re not going to get any answers anytime soon. We’ll figure something out when we get them.” The advisors leave, and Silas goes up to where Seth sits.

Silas, “So, what do you think? Think you could do this job?”

Seth, “I can tell people to fuck off.”

Silas chuckles, “Oh, no, you’re turning into your sister.”

Seth, “I really wanted to meet her in Damascus.”

Silas, sadly, “I know you did, puppy. Blame David Shepherd for setting that bomb off.”

Seth gives him a disbelieving look.

Silas changes the subject, “I tell you what. Let’s go watch a movie. Do you want to watch a movie?”

  * In the theater, Silas sits next to Seth, who has a bag of popcorn in his lap.



Silas, “You have to promise not to tell your mom I let you watch this. They made a movie about my life. I think you’ll like it.”

Seth, “Am I in it?”

Silas, “No. The story ends before you were born.”

([“Telling Stories” Tracy Chapman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wapCTd5fS2Y)) Seth doesn't say anything. They watch the opening of the movie, young fictional Silas saying goodbye to his parents on an idyllic farm.

Seth, “That’s not what really happened.”

Silas, “How do you know?”

Seth, “You said your dad was mean.”

Silas, “You really do pick up everything, don’t you?”

Seth shakes his head, “You lie a lot, Dad.”

Silas, “It’s a movie. It's fictionalized. Not everything is going to be completely accurate. People are better off not knowing what a bastard my father was.”

Seth, “You said I’d get to meet Michelle in Damascus. That didn't happen.”

Silas, “A bomb went off!”

Seth, “I really wanted to meet her.”

Silas, “I’m sorry, puppy. I’m a powerful man, but I still can’t control everything.”

Seth, “You still haven’t told me why Jack and Michelle left.”

Silas, “I told you, David Shepherd-”

Seth interrupts, “It’s not all him.”

Silas sighs deeply and thinks for a long moment. Finally, “There are some things, Seth, that I don’t fully understand. I can’t tell you why your siblings left. Sometimes… sometimes it's just easier to say something simple. It makes for a better story. People need to hear a better story, and I give them what they want.”

Seth, “You lie.”

Silas, “A king can’t be a normal man. He can’t be flawed like everyone else. He has to project a strong image. I do what I have to do as king.”

Seth mutters, “I really wanted to meet Michelle.” He looks up at the screen with disdain, “This is a stupid movie.” He gets up out of his seat and leaves.

Silas turns around watching him, “Seth!”

Seth keeps walking.

Silas, “Seth!”

Seth leaves the theater, the doors swinging behind him.

  * Thomasina drives home, late at night. She enters the darkened abode. In the semi-lit living room, she sees her teenage son, Miles, asleep on the couch, waiting for her. She gazes remorsefully at him for a moment, and then goes and gently kisses his cheek.




	22. S3, E10: Fistopia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMFG. I'm so excited to finally be posting the episode that introduces one of my all-time favorite original characters. I love him. You all are going to hate him.

**“Fistopia”**

On King Warner’s plane, David comes out of the bathroom and goes back towards his seat. Warner sits in front of Queen Mae and their army of children.

Warner gestures to him, “David, come speak with me.”

David, uneasily: “Sure.” He goes over and gets into the seat next to him.

Warner: “I’ve been led to believe that you’re a man of God, is this true?”

David, “I’ve been told that all God asks of us is that we do good. So I try to do good. So I guess if that’s what being a man of God means, then, yes. I don’t know how good of a job I’ve been doing, though.”

Warner: “God certainly seems to favor you.”

David laughs, “If He favors me, He has a funny way of showing it.”

Warner: “You and I do things differently.”

David: “You could say that.”

Warner: “I personally believe that women belong in the home. I don’t allow women to serve in combat positions in my army, and I don’t have any women among my political advisors.”

David: “You should consider changing that. Michelle, Abby, and Monique have each been absolutely critical in every success that the AFG has had, along with Shay Mendoza.”

Warner smirks, “That abomination you call Monique is not a woman.”

David, “Her name is Monique Broadnax, and she _is_ a woman.”

Warner grimaces, “Tell me about your relationship with Jack Benjamin.”

David, “He’s saved my life. He’s incredibly dear to me.”

Warner: “You should consider the ultimate fate of your soul, David.”

David looks at Warner incredulously, “Well, sir, my personal life is my own, as is my relationship with God. And I assure you, after everything I’ve done, and everything I’ve seen, if my soul is going to be damned for all eternity, it’s not going to be because I fuck and pray the wrong way.”

Warner: “If I’m going to help you, I’m going to need something in return.”

David: “If we’re going to be negotiating things, I’m going to have to call Abby over here. I know you want Carmel back, and she’s the one who knows enough to be able to work out a deal with you.”

Warner: “Do you understand, David, why Carmel is so important to me?”

David, “It was a part of Ammon until Vesper Abbadon tried to secede.”

Warner smiles, “Vesper and I were once united partners in creating a nation based on God’s word.”

David, “I know. They teach all this in history class in Gilboa.”

Warner laughs softly, “I’ve seen the curriculum. It leaves so much out. You’ve been fighting for, what, a year now? I fought for thirteen long years, hiding out in the desert. Mackynzie and Hank were born out in the desert, as were three of Vesper’s children. Grace lost her hearing when King Allen’s troops bombed our camp. Esperanza was the one who stayed up with her on those late nights, trying to soothe her crying.”

David, “Abbadon’s wife, right?”

Warner nods fondly, “Beautiful woman. Wonderful mother. She was the soul of our movement, the goodness of it. Even after she joined Vesper in his defection, it broke my heart to hear of her death.”

David, “I’ve never quite understood what motivated Abbadon to do what he did.”

Warner, “You and me both, David. I think it comes down to the fact that Vesper was an idealist, not a leader. It worked well when the two of us led our revolution together, but when he was on his own… Vesper was willing to die in the service of God. When Gilboan troops surrounded Menasseh, he ordered his own troops to kill the citizens there, rather than surrender.”

David, “Gilboan history books say Silas was the hero of Carmel. He stopped all the slaughter.”

Warner, “He took what was rightfully a part of Ammon and claimed it for Gilboa. You must understand why this is so important to me.”

David, “Trust me, I do. But, since becoming a leader, I’ve learned never to give away anything for free. If I’m supposed to win Carmel for you, I need something in return. The sanctuary in Ammon is a good start, but, I’m going to need more.”

Warner, tired: “We’ll set up a deal later, then. In the meantime, do you know who is behind these attacks?”

David: “No. Abby believes it may be a group calling themselves the Amalekites, but she can’t find anything about them.”

Warner: “The Amalekites?”

David: “Yeah, like the Bible.”

Warner: “If they’re anything like the Amalekites of the Bible, we should be worried about them. But they haven’t attacked Ammon yet.”

David: “Hopefully we can find them and stop them. That’s something we can agree on.”

Warner: “Yes. Go join your advisors.”

David, “It’s been good talking to you.” He gets up and goes to sit down at the front of the plane.

  * A car pulls up to the army base, where Jack, Asher, Joel, and Shay are waiting. David steps out, followed by the boys, Abby, Michelle, and Monique.



Jack, “There’s the hero.”

He hugs David tightly, but David pulls away, saying softly, “Not here.”

Jack steps back, “Hey, we’ve got something to show you.”

  * Inside, Robert and James model new jackets: practical dark blue combat jackets with AFG printed in large letters on the back, and name tags reading SHEPHERD on the front. Shay and Jack both wear matching jackets emblazoned with their names. 



Jack, “The AFG officially has jackets! They’re a thank you gift from Laura!” He hands another SHEPHERD jacket to David. He hands out jackets to Michelle (hers is marked with red crosses and the word MEDIC), Abby, and Monique, “Jackets for Benjamin, Hatch, Broadnax!”

Robert, “These things are fuckin’ sweet man!”

Jack, “Lightweight but still warm, and water-proof!”

Shay, “And there’s like a bajillion pockets, too!”

Monique puts hers on and strikes a few poses, “Oh, I like these!” David puts his on.

Jack, “Sexy!”

Quietly, David says, “Warner's sniffing around. Unless you want to get in trouble, we need to be careful.”

Jack, “But you do look sexy!”

David, “I’m serious!”

Jack, “I watched a bomb go off next to you on live TV. I’m just glad you’re back in one piece.” He gives David a tired smile, and David has to return one.

David, “We’ll talk later in my quarters, okay?”

  * In the council chamber, the minister of communications lays out several magazines and newspapers with David’s picture featured prominently on the covers, “We have a bit of an image problem, to say the least. Shepherd is now considered a hero outside of Gilboa.”



Reinhardt, “I’ve been receiving reports of AFG recruitment now coming in from other countries.”

Silas sneers down at them, “He’s the one behind the attack. He was trying to kill me, but I outsmarted him by not being there.”

Reinhardt, “There have been more Amalekites will conquer posts. They seem to be the ones claiming responsibility.”

Silas, “It’s too perfect, the bomb goes off, Shepherd’s the hero, he becomes king, and everyone loves him. This Amalekite bullshit is just a red herring.”

One of Silas’s generals, Lt. General Frank Hatch, Abby’s father, speaks up, “Sir, the Amalekites need to be investigated as a new and independent terrorist organization. Moab has numerous militias. In his day, Warner faced rival militias. Even Gath has several splinter rebel groups, it’s not unreasonable that a new group would spring up in the AFG’s wake.”

Silas, “There may be other militias in other countries, but this is all Shepherd! Trying to investigate anything else is completely pointless!”

Frank, “Sir, I beg you to reconsider-”

Silas, “Pointless!”

Frank, “I don’t believe he would have put the Princess in danger!”

Silas glares at him.

Frank, “Shepherd has repeatedly shown that he’s not afraid to put himself in danger, but he’ll go to great lengths to protect those he cares about. He wouldn’t put the Princess, two of his close advisors, and three heroes in danger.”

Silas glares at Frank, “Your daughter was one of those advisors, wasn’t she, Frank?”

Frank, “My daughter is a traitor like any other, and I regard her as such.”

Reinhardt speaks up, quietly, “Perhaps an investigation will reveal that Shepherd is indeed behind the attacks. If it can be proven, we can have other countries as allies trying to fight him.”

Silas, “That’s what I want. Start that investigation immediately. In the meantime, I want a statement made blaming Shepherd for the attack.”

Reinhardt, “Right away, sir.”

Cut to: everyone gathers their things and leaves. Reinhardt leans in and whispers to Frank, “Meet me in the men’s room.”

  * In the men’s room, Reinhardt talks to Frank, “You really need to learn how to talk to him.”



Frank, “I’ve served King Silas faithfully since his coronation. I’ve never been one to question the King’s judgement, but it’s simply not possible that Shepherd would be behind these attacks.”

Reinhardt, “You think I don’t fucking know that? I actually met the guy- I was his boss for a few months. He’s not smart enough to pull this kind of shit off. That’s why I got Silas to give me an investigation. Whoever these Amalekites are, they’ve got to have a leader. Once I can prove it’s not Shepherd, there will be no choice.”

Frank, “I’m afraid you underestimate how stubborn the king can be.”

Reinhardt, “Then we play along and act like the Amalekites are under Shepherd’s control, while we do our jobs and stop them.”

  * In a conference room, everyone sits around a table, wearing their new jackets.



David, “We need to figure out who’s behind these attacks.”

Abby: “I’ve been trying to look into the Amalekites, and, it’s difficult to find pieces that fit together.

Shay: “Are they even targeting us directly?”

David: “They seem to have a thing for kings. If I’m gonna be king, I doubt they’re gonna like me.”

Joel: “Who the fuck even are the Amalekites?”

Abby: “I’ve been trying my best…”

Joel interrupts, “No, like, why are they calling themselves Amalekites? Who are they people they’re naming themselves after?”

Asher: “If you’re going strictly by technical definition, the Amalekites are a tribe of the ancient Holy Land who considered themselves to be the descendants of Amalek, the grandson of Esau. In more subjective terms, they’re often considered to be the archetypical enemy of Judea. They were the first to try to exterminate the Jews. One of the mitzvot followed by Orthodox Jews is, ‘Never forget what Amalek has done to you.’ Hassidic Rabbis consider them to be a representation of the rejection of God.”

Shay: “So we shouldn’t be fucking with them.”

Jack: “Are we gonna let them fuck with us, first?”

David: “We need to know more! They have to have a leader of some sort, someone who’s planning these attacks! Let’s start with that!”

Jack: “Is there anything else from your trip that we need to be thinking about?”

David sighs, “Warner wants a part of Carmel. Abby, that’s all your job.”

Abby: “I already have a plan drawn up.”

David: “Good. If there’s anything we can be doing in advance, we should be doing it. No telling what’s going to happen next.”

  * Silas goes into Vesper’s cell, sets the chess board in between them. He sits down and makes a first move without saying anything.



Vesper moves a pawn, “I would ask what’s wrong, but I know I won’t get an answer.”

Silas moves a knight.

Vesper, “I will say I’m disappointed you didn’t show up to Council. It’s always amusing to watch you antagonize Warner.”

Silas, “God told me not to go.”

Vesper, “I used to think God told me things, but then I realized the devil has a very sweet voice.”

Silas, “Shepherd was the one who set off the bomb at Council.”

Vesper, “No he didn’t.”

Silas, “Yes, he did!”

Vesper, “Did he really do it, or do you just wish he’d done it?”

Silas, “Don’t make me regret not killing you.”

Vesper, “If you were going to kill me, you’d have done it already. Besides, of you killed me, who would you play chess with?”

  * Warner video conferences with William.



William, “Why haven’t you declared war yet?”

Warner, “General Shepherd said it would be a bad idea.”

William, “What?! It’s a great idea! Now is the best possible time to attack!”

Warner, “Shepherd has said he’ll give me Carmel when he’s king if I don’t attack.”

William, “When he’s king? Do you even fucking know how he’s gonna do that? Does he have a plan?”

Warner, “I’m assuming you have one?”

William, “Why do you think I want you do go to war? Between Gath, you, Shepherd, and whoever the hell it is making these attacks, Silas’s government can’t stand. It’s going to collapse. That’s when I come in and take the crown.”

Warner, “That’s not a plan. I say this as someone who has actually overthrown a king."

William, "It's better than what Shepherd’s gonna give you!”

Warner, “The funny thing about plans, William, is that they go wrong. What I’ve seen from Shepherd is a man who knows how to improvise and fight through. More than that, he doesn’t go asking other people to do his own business.”

William, “Come on, Warner! You know you want to do this.”

Warner, “Right now isn’t a good time. I have a country to run. Goodbye, William.” He hangs up.

Back in his office, William, “Son of a bitch!” He shoves his phone into his pocket and paces furiously. He pauses and thinks for a long moment. An idea forms in his mind.

  * Andrew stands watching Chloe direct a bunch of movers to decorate a cavernous marble-floored living room with pink and gold decor. His phone buzzes, and he takes it out of his pocket to look at it.



He answers, “What do you want, Dad?”

William, “I need you to buy a gossip website.”

Andrew, “What? Why?”

William, “It’s a part of my plan.”

Andrew, “Your plan to become king?”

William, “Just buy a website, will you? I’ll send you the money. My friends in Gath have even given me something for you to leak.”

Andrew, “I… I’ll see what I can do.”

  * David sits on his bed, Jack snuggled up close against him.



Jack, “I don’t ever want to see you and an explosion on a TV screen at the same time again.”

David, “I’m sorry. They tend to follow me. Probably should have considered that when you fell in love.” He kisses Jack.

Jack grins playfully at him, “The picture of you is hot, though.”

David: “I’m killing someone in it.”

Jack, “And looking incredibly sexy while you do so, babe.”

There’s a knock on the door, and Jack sits up and moves away from David.

David answers the door, “Yes?”

An Ammon soldier stands on the other side, “A letter’s arrived for you, sir, you need to go pick it up.”

David: “What? Have you looked at it? It’s not like, full of anthrax or anything, is it?”

Soldier: “It’s been screened thoroughly, and it’s been deemed safe.”

David: “I haven’t disclosed my location, how could they have sent it to me?”

The soldier shrugs, “I don’t know. You’ll just have to look at it.”

  * Back in the meeting room, with everyone looking on, David opens the envelope. He pulls out a flyer featuring the lineup of the Fistopia Music Festival.



David, “Fistopia?”

Jack, perking up: “Fistopia is this weekend?”

Shay: “There’s something on the back.”

David turns the back over. There’s a place marked on a map, “Meet here. alone. unarmed. Learn the secrets of the Amalekites.” David reads it out loud.

Shay, “What? Let me see that.”

David hands her the flier, and she looks at it, “Oh, this is a trap. It might as well just fucking say ‘there’s a trap here.’”

David, “What if it’s not? What if someone is actually trying to pass us information?”

Abby: “I’ll contact the Fistopia organizers. They should know there’s a threat against them.”

David: “This- this isn’t a threat!”

Shay, “Then what the fuck is it?!”

David, “It’s an invitation!”

Shay: “Do you actually want to go?”

David: “I- it might help.”

Shay: “Help you get killed.”

David: “Hey, I’m a soldier, I know how to defend myself!”

Joel: “Seriously, David, this is more than a little scary.”

David, “They know where we are. What if I don’t go to them, and they decide to come to us?”

Shay: “How are you gonna get over the border?”

David: “There’s gotta be some remote area where the Ammon guards will just pass us through.”

Shay: “If you’re going, I’m gonna go with you.”

David: “It says to go alone.”

Shay: “I’ll be as close nearby as I can be, then.”

David looks down at the flier, “Have any of us actually been to Fistopia?”

Jack: “It’s only fun after your third tab of acid. Otherwise, it’s a bunch of dirty, sunburned, screaming hipsters.” He grabs the flier and looks at the lineup, “Ooooh Horse Choir is gonna play.”

Abby: “Sounds like a great place to attack, if you want to cause chaos.”

David: “It’s not a political target, though.”

Jack gasps, “Jonathan is High is gonna be there!”

Michelle, “Oh, Jesus fucking Christ, you don’t even like their music.”

David: “What?”

Michelle: “Six stoner guys named Jonathan decided to get together and make a band. There was a time when social media pictures of bleary-eyed Jack standing in front of Jonathan is High posters were the scourge of Rose’s existence.”

Jack, “Oh, god, how much do you think she’d give to have that be the worst of her problems again?”

Abby: “We need to take this thing seriously.”

Jack: “I know. It’s just, it’s fucking Fistopia! You go there to do a ton of drugs and listen to shitty music! Why would anyone want to attack it?”

  * Abby sits at a computer, video conferencing with King Warner. David sits out of view of the camera, without saying anything.



Abby: “David and I have drawn up an area of Carmel that we’re willing to declare territory of Ammon when David is king. I sent you the files related to it.”

Warner: “Yes, I’ve had a good look. The area is very small.” David grimaces and shakes his head.

Abby: “It’s all we’re going to offer. Given David’s image as a freedom fighter, it would be unwise for him to deliver a large population of his supporters over to you. The population I’ve drawn up is loyal to Ammon, and the handover of territory will be supported there. It’s a wise move for all of us.”

Warner nods, “I suppose you are right. I’ll accept your offer.

David’s eyes widen in surprise. He mouths, “Seriously?”

Abby smiles, “Thank you very much, sir! I’ll tell David right away!”

Warner: “Goodbye, Miss Hatch.”

Abby: “Goodbye.” She closes the window, “Holy shit!”

David doesn’t share her enthusiasm, “That’s…. weird. Considering that Warner could just dump us back in Gilboa, I thought he’d want more. He’s kind of got some pretty good leverage.”

Abby: “Yeah, well, because of this, we’re not gonna be dumped back in Gilboa. This is a victory for us.”

David: “Yeah, I know, it’s just it doesn’t feel right. I don’t know what it is, but, something’s off.”

Abby: “I have some music festival organizers I need to call.”

  * Later, Abby talks on the phone while David hangs in the background.



Abby: “This is Abigail Hatch of the Army of Free Gilboa. We’ve received a message that we think can be considered a threat against Fistopia. It’s a message to David Shepherd, telling him to meet someone at a specific location and learn the secrets of the Amalekites, the group we believe is behind the suicide bombings in Shiloh and Damascus,” pause, “Yes, but considering all the unknowns about this group, all possibilities need to be considered,” she listens for a moment, “It was sent directly to David Shepherd at a location that hasn’t been publicly disclosed. Yes, _the_ David Shepherd,” pause, “No, he doesn’t, I told you, his location hasn’t been publicly-” she’s interrupted, “No.” She listens for a long time, sighs, and tips her head back in frustration, “It’s not worth putting the safety of your attendees at risk! I was there when the bomb went off in Damascus!” She listens on for a few more seconds, angry, “Please, ignoring it is-” She’s cut off.

She drops the phone from her ear in frustration, “They say they’re not a political target, so they don’t consider the threat to be serious.”

David: “Even coming from me?”

Abby: “Yes! They said they’ve already invested too much money and don’t want to cancel at the last minute.”

David, “Shit, this is going to be a mess.”

Abby: “The smart thing to do is to not go.”

David shakes his head, “I know. But- I can’t get over the fear of what will happen if I don’t.”

  * In a private room, Michelle nervously talks to Jack, “Listen, I have something to tell you, and you aren’t allowed to make some stupid comment about it when I’m done, okay?”



Jack: “What?”

Michelle takes a deep breath, “While I was in Damascus… I may have slept with Abby.” Jack claps his hands over his mouth (the Stefon), and he stares at Michelle for an uncomfortably long amount of time.

Michelle, “Stop looking at me like that!”

Jack lowers his hands to speak, and using his most innocent voice, says, “Like what?”

Michelle: “Look, I’m still figuring a lot of this relationship bullshit out, and I don’t know what me and Abby are at this point, but that fucking happened.” Jack goes over to Michelle and hugs her.

Michelle: “What are you doing?”

Jack: “I’m hugging my sister because something fantastic has happened to her!” He lets go.

Michelle, sheepishly, “We’re not like you and David yet.”

Jack: “Are you happy?”

Michelle grins a little bit, “Yeah.” She smiles all the way.

Jack hugs Michelle again, “That’s all you need. I’m happy for you.”

  * Andrew sits in a boardroom, surrounded by executives, a shit-eating grin on his face. A board member, somewhat unhappy, “First of all, I would like to welcome Mr. Cross to the OMGossip executive board.”



Andrew, “Thank you. As your new owner and CEO, I hope to bring this company in new, exciting, and very profitable directions.”

Another executive speaks up, “I’m sorry, I’m kind of confused, yesterday Craig was CEO, what happened?”

Andrew, “Well, quite simply, I bought OMGossip. It’s not complicated. I have a lot of money and a very convincing personality.” He looks back at the rest of the executives, “As your new CEO, I have a new vision for OMGossip. For a very long time, I have seen you miss a rather tremendous opportunity, one which I have unique first-hand knowledge that can solve. Gilboa has a hero problem, and OMGossip is contributing to it.”

Executive, confused, “Hero problem?”

Another executive, “Do you mean General Shepherd?”

Andrew, his smile falling, “David Shepherd, yes. It’s utterly sickening the way the press coddles him and makes him out to be a hero.”

The executives look at each other, “You… you saw that picture out of Damascus, right? He kind of is a hero.”

Andrew, “He saves a few lives, yes, but once you rub off his gold plating, he’s not nearly as wonderful as he’s made out to be.”

Executive, “And what makes you say this?”

Andrew, “I’ve seen him up close. I have first-hand knowledge of his misdeeds.”

Exec, “You got dirt on Shepherd?”

Andrew, “My Uncle Silas tried to have him executed because he was fucking my cousin.”

Exec, “Shepherd and Princess Michelle? That’s old news.”

Andrew, “I said my cousin. I didn’t say which cousin.”

The execs look at him, eyebrows raising in curiosity, “You mean Shepherd and the prince?”

Andrew, “You know, for a bunch of professional shit-stirrers, you all are extraordinarily dense. It’s been obvious since the tank.”

Another exec, “Yeah, he’s kinda right.”

Yet another exec, “Come on, Kelly!”

Kelly, “Well, honestly, you do have to be kind of dense to not see that Shepherd and the prince had the hots for each other!”

Exec, “Again, this isn’t exactly breaking news. The speculation’s been around for a while. Unless you have some sort of proof, it’ll just remain speculation.”

Andrew tightens his lips, “Proof?”

Exec, “Pictures, video, audio?”

Andrew, “I don’t need proof.”

Exec sighs, “Unless you wanna get sued for libel, you kind of do.”

Andrew, “David Shepherd is cowering in an army bunker in Ammon, he’s not exactly going to be calling up his lawyer.”

Exec, “Okay, you have a point.”

Another exec, “So is this your bold new strategy for the company? Shepherd and Prince Jack are in a relationship? That’s hardly bold.”

Andrew shoots her a filthy look, “No. My strategy is that Shepherd has been built up as a hero. We’re going to tear him down.”

Exec, “Why?”

Andrew, “Because we are patriotic Gilboans.”

Craig sighs deeply, “I know you’re CEO, and you can lead this company however you like, but flattering articles about Shepherd sell very, very well. Everyone loves an underdog, especially when he’s got the ass of a god.”

Andrew, “And how long, exactly, have you been a fucking traitor?”

Craig, “I’m not saying this politically, I’m saying this as someone who knows how to make a profit.”

Andrew, “Everyone loves dirt.”

Craig, “Yes, dirt might sell a few extra magazines one week, but then Shepherd will once again land in shit and come up smelling like roses. People want to like him when he does heroic things, and a magazine saying he isn’t that great is just going to be ignored.”

Andrew, “Gilboa needs heroes again, and not David Shepherd.”

Craig, “Okay, so we publish a few nasty articles. Shepherd’s a queer, and he does gay shit with the prince. So what? They’re both hot young men. Teenage girls and perverts eat it up. What happens when that story runs dry? What happens when this homosexual affair turns into a romantic epic? Yeah, you got a little dirt on Shepherd, but you need more. Where are you gonna get it? Shepherd’s a good guy. He’s as pure as an angel’s fart.”

Andrew, “He’s not. All we have to do is wait for him to fuck up.”

  * The next morning, David and Shay, dressed to blend in at Fistopia, at least somewhat, stand by one of the souped-up cars.



Jack speaks to David, “Seriously, man, if something goes down, get the fuck out of there. Don’t do anything stupid and heroic, okay?”

David: “I promise.”

Jack: “I’ve had enough of being scared for you.”

He hugs David tightly, and David hugs him back, “I’ll be careful.”

  * Shay drives the car through a long stretch of desert while David sits in the passenger seat. They sit, stuck in traffic as loads of cars with camping equipment head towards Fistopia. Shay drives towards a cliff with a path that goes upward, a ways away from the main gathering of Fistopia.



She parks, “Listen, I’m gonna be standing here the whole time. You may be unarmed, but I’m gonna be fucking armed, okay?”

David, “Okay.” He looks up at the cliff, and gets out of the car.

David climbs the path up the cliff. Up at the top, he sees a lone figure overlooking the festival.

David steps forward, “Hello?” The figure stays still. David continues walking towards the figure, “Hello! Are you the person who told me to be here?” The figure doesn’t move, and David gets close. The figure spins around. He is a handsome and well-groomed man, Alek Amal (dream cast: Sebastian Stan).

His face is serious, but when he sees David, a smile switches on, “I knew you would come.”

David, “Yeah I came. And now I'd like to know who the fuck you are and what the fuck is going on.”

Amal steps away from David, “Are you really the future king?”

David: “It’s what a lot of people seem to think.”

Amal: “I don’t like kings. They’re never as good or as noble as they pretend to be.”

David: “Are you behind the attacks?”

Amal, “Society is falling apart.”

David: “Who the fuck are you?!”

Amal turns around, “My name is Alek Amal, and I’m going to give you a choice.” He pulls a big knife from his waistband and throws it so that it sticks in the dirt at David’s feet.

Amal, “Kill me or save lives.”

David: “What?”

Below, the sound of an explosion.

David, “Shit!”

Amal, “Make your choice, King David.”

David looks frantically from the knife to Amal, torn about his next step, locked in a staring contest with Amal. Another explosion. Amal smirks. David flinches, turns around, and runs.


	23. S3, E11: Devotee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting on Thursday afternoon is like halfway to next Monday, right? Whatever. I'm impatient.

**“Devotee”**

(The music of [“Closer” by Nine Inch Nails](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccY25Cb3im0), combined with the vocals of [“#1 Crush” by Garbage](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX7LLua5NCM), a mash-up that creates a dialogue between cult leader and cult follower)

o Close-up of a computer search engine. The word “Amalekite” is typed into it.

o Amal sits at a desk across from the first suicide bomber, “How devoted are you?”

o The first bomber walks through a crowd at the charity ball, opens his jacket, and blows himself up.

o Amal speaks to a group of followers, “Society is falling apart. Kings have brutalized and oppressed the people they rule for too long, and now their reckoning is coming. That reckoning is not a handsome farm boy who fancies himself a leader. He wants to be king. I want to undo kings.”

o Amal builds bombs in a workshop.

o Amal speaks to a female recruit in person, whispering to her with his face an inch away from hers, “How devoted are you?”

Follower, “To the death.”

Amal gently places a hand on her cheek, “Prove it.”

o The second bomber blows herself up outside of the palace of Aram. The third bomber walks towards the crowd running from the second bomb, but is confronted and shot by David.

o Amal speaks to his followers, “Society has failed all of you. Endless war, the violent oppression of peaceful protest. Even those who claim to want peace and freedom create more war. It ends with us.”

o Amal straps bombs onto a line of six followers and whispers into the last one’s ear, “You have chosen to be here. You are the true chosen ones.”

o (“I will burn for you, feel pain for you.”) A female recruit stands in the middle of a crowd at Fistopia, a euphoric smile on her face. She raises her arms and blows up. A ways off, another, similarly smiling recruit blows himself up. Chaos spreads around them.

o David runs down the cliff path.

Shay sees him, the driver’s seat door open behind her, “We’re getting out of here!”

David barrels past her and into the car, “We have to help!”

Shay, “David, no!”

David turns the car on, and Shay dives into the back seat. David speeds toward the area where people are running from.

Shay, “David, turn around!”

David pulls to a stop in front of the fleeing attendees.

He goes to the nearest wounded person, “I’m here to help! Where are you hurt?”

He helps a woman to her feet as she clutches a bloody stomach. He begins to lead her away, but then, the sound of gunshots. The woman David is helping is riddled with bullets, and David dives to the ground. A pickup truck loaded with gleeful, laughing Amalekites firing off guns into the crowd speeds past. A third devotee blows up. Other trucks follow behind them, their occupants also whooping and firing off guns. David gets up to his feet, and goes toward the body of the woman.

Shay runs up behind him and grabs him, “We’re fucking getting out of here!” She struggles to pull David away, but a fourth Amalekite blows up, knocking them to the ground. David crawls around, trying not to be trampled in the chaos, but people still trip and fall painfully over him.

Back on the cliff, Amal watches the scene with a satisfied little smile on his face.

David manages to get to his feet. Another truck full of Amalekites drives past, and David is shot in the thigh. He screams and falls over. Shay crawls over to him. She grabs the gun from her waistband and shoots at the Amalekites in the truck, hitting them before they have a chance to hit her. She stands up and shoots the driver of the truck, which careens into the panic.

She grabs David and pulls him up, “Come on!”

David: “We have to help!”

Shay begins to run towards their car: “No! We’re not doing that!”

David struggles against Shay, but with his wound, he can’t, “I’m the fucking general! You have to do what I say!”

Shay opens a back door of the car and throws David into it.

David sits up and screams, “We have to help! As your general, I order you to go back!”

Shay gets into the driver’s seat, “You can court martial me later, but right now I’m saving your ass!” She turns the car on and speeds off.

David: “Turn _back_!” David flings his head against the seat and screams. (end music)

  * (Flashback) Young Silas, seven years into his reign, leads a team of soldiers through the Abbadon compound. They stalk around hallways, search rooms, and exchange gunfire with Abbadon’s men. Silas leans against a wall, Abner behind him.



Silas, “Shit, where the fuck is he?!”

Abner, “There’s still places we haven’t looked, we-” he’s cut off by the sound of a woman screaming, “No, no, no!”

Silas, “There!” They burst into a room.

Silas, “Put your hands up, now!”

Vesper, his back turned to Silas, raises his hands, a bloody knife still in one of them. Esperanza Abbadon, full of stab wounds, falls to the floor.

Silas, “Put the knife down!”

Vesper slowly turns around, revealing that he’s covered in blood.

Silas, “PUT THE KNIFE DOWN!”

Esperanza moans and moves slightly.

Silas looks nervously from Vesper to Esperanza, “Come on, Vesper, just put the knife down, and we can help Esperanza.”

Vesper sobs, “There’s no helping her now.”

Silas, calmly, “Just put the knife down.”

Vesper drops the knife, but keeps his hands up. He slowly sinks to his knees, and a group of soldiers rush over to take him away.

Silas speaks into his headpiece, “We need a medic in here!” He goes over to Esperanza and kneels beside her. She tries to cover her wounds with her hands, and blood pours between her fingers.

Silas says in a soothing voice, “Just hold on, a medic will be here soon.”

Abner comes up behind him. He looks down at Esperanza and says, “She’s past saving, Silas.” Silas gently takes Esperanza’s hand.

She looks up at him, “ _Mis hijos_ …”

Silas, “What?”

Esperanza, slightly louder, “ _Mis hijos_ …” Her free hand flops in the direction of a closet door. Silas stands, and carefully opens the door. Behind it cower the Abbadon children. The oldest girl, 11, cradles a baby in her arms, while the oldest boy, 9, stands protectively between his sisters and the door. Silas looks back down at Esperanza, who has died, and then back at the children. (end flashback)

  * David lays in a hospital bed, coldly staring up at the ceiling. The door opens, and Jack enters.



He sits down on a seat next to the bed and sits quietly for a moment, “Tell me what happened.”

David: “I went to where I told to go. There was this guy standing there, he said his name was Alek Amal, said that society is falling apart. He threw this knife at the ground and told me I could either kill him or save lives. That’s when the first bomb went off. I went to save lives.”

Jack: “I told you not to do anything stupid.”

David: “I just went on instinct, I wasn’t thinking.”

Jack: “Shay told me she kept telling you no, but you fucking got in the car and started driving. You got shot, and she had to pull you away! She fucking saved your life, David.”

David: “I had to do it. I couldn’t let innocent people die!”

Jack: “Did you save anyone?”

David shuts his eyes and breathes heavily, “I- I tried. I fucking tried. There was too much chaos.”

Jack: “You can’t keep doing this! Sometimes, the only person you can save is yourself!”

David, quietly: “Don’t fucking tell me that.”

Jack: “You need to hear it. I- I told you not to do anything stupid and you didn’t listen to me!”

David snaps, “I’m sorry! I fucked up, all right?! You weren’t there!”

Jack: “Well, now you’re stuck with a bullet wound in your leg, so you’ll have plenty of time to think about how you’re gonna do things differently.”

David, “Shut up! What the fuck do you want me to say? I fucked up! I did something stupid, and I’m sorry!”

Jack waits a beat before answering, “I try to keep myself safe, because I know you need me. There’s been so many moments when I wanted to run out, to go and do something big and heroic, something that will get me a big, dramatic picture that Dad’s gonna see on the news. And I don’t. I stay safe, because I know that if I get hurt, it’ll hurt you, too.”

David: “You aren’t me.”

Jack: “Who the fuck am I, then?”

David looks over at Jack without saying anything.

Jack goes on, “I know I’m not as important as you.”

David interrupts, “That’s not true.”

Jack interrupts him, tears in his eyes, “You have to stop putting me through this!”

David: “How can I? I can’t stop the attacks from happening.”

Jack, weeping quietly: “I know! I know!”

David looks back up at the ceiling. He stares hard for a moment, “All that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger talk is bullshit. I don’t understand how anyone can go it through this and come out anything but weakened.” He closes his eyes, and tears fall down his cheeks. Jack reaches over and puts a hand on his.

  * Abby speaks into a webcam. Her hair is messy, her eyes are swollen, and she’s casually dressed. She’s flustered and emotional, not her usual no-nonsense self, “This is Abigail Hatch of the Army of Free Gilboa. A terrorist group calling themselves the Amalekites are responsible for the attack on the Fistopia Music Festival. I know this because members of AFG leadership received direct credible intelligence that indicated a potential threat to the festival from this group. I tried to contact the Fistopia organizers, I told them in no uncertain terms that we at the AFG considered this message to be a threat, and I was ignored and denied repeatedly. Now, at least two hundred people are dead, and the number keeps increasing. The Amalekites are responsible for the attacks in Damascus and Shiloh. Their leader is a man calling himself Alek Amal, and as of right now, we know nothing about him. We don’t know why he’s carrying out his attacks, or how he’s recruiting his followers. The AFG is dedicated to protecting the innocent, we’re reaching out to the other nations of North America and their monarchs, including King Silas. The Amalekites have proven to be non-discriminatory in who they kill, and because of that, there needs to be communication and cooperation among our militaries in order to properly stop this threat. The AFG is willing to hand over information regarding the Amalekites, and offer our protection to vulnerable citizens, if the other nations will agree to this.”



  * Silas watches Abby’s message on a tablet. He tosses it to the side, “This is bullshit. Of course Shepherd’s behind all this. They’re making up these Amalekites just to scare people.”



Abner, “I’ve gotten reports that Shepherd was seen there.”

Frank glances at Reinhardt, who raises his chin as if to say _follow my lead_.

Reinhardt, “I’ve seen those reports, and they’re somewhat conflicted. A number of witnesses claim to have seen Shepherd, but they say he was trying to help, and at one point, he may have been wounded. What we do have confirmed is a truck full of dead Amalekites. Whoever took them out must have been good because they appear to have all been shot while in motion.”

Frank, “I personally trained Shay Mendoza in marksmanship. I believe she would be capable of doing something like that.”

Silas, “This is all straight out of Warner’s playbook. He’s been training Shepherd so he can get Carmel back. I’m sure if the AFG can get some suicide bombers, they can get a few followers willing to die to make it look like another group.”

Reinhardt, “Would Warner be willing to help Shepherd, given-?”

Silas, sharply, “Given what?!”

Reinhardt, “Given that the ranks of the AFG are rather…. diverse… in ways that aren’t welcome in Ammon.”

Silas, “You’ve never fought against Warner, not like I have. Warner loves to act pious but he’s still a king! He’ll shake hands with Satan if it’ll give him some kind of advantage. Probably get along with him, too. They have a lot in common.”

  * (flashback) in Silas’s office, Silas, Abner, and Samuels all conference call Warner.



Warner, over the phone, “Vesper will face justice here in Ammon, the country he betrayed! He’s done nothing against Gilboa, you have nothing to charge him with.”

Silas rolls his eyes, “Except for a few war crimes. Carmel’s citizens are now Gilboans. Any act committed against them was committed against Gilboa.”

Warner, “I am the one that Vesper betrayed, and I am the one who deserves to execute him!”

Samuels, “ _'Do not seek revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.’_ Does it really matter who kills him, as long as he’s dead in the end?”

Warner, furious, “I have earned this right! If Silas is going to take Carmel away from me, he can at least grant me the right of allowing me to execute the man who betrayed me!”

Silas rolls his eyes and makes jack-off hands. Abner stifles his laughter.

Warner, “Vesper and I spent ten years fighting side by side as soldiers of Christ, and we vowed that we would die together!”

Silas makes a face and mockingly imitates Warner’s fury. He and Abner both laugh.

Warner, “I deserve to be the one who kills him!”

Silas, “Listen, Warner, if you want Abbadon, you’re gonna have to come to Shiloh and remove him from my palace yourself. As long as Carmel remains Gilboan territory, I will be the one who deals with him.” (end flashback)

  * Isaiah walks down a hallway with a large manila envelope in his hand.



Adam hurries up to him, “Are you going to see David?”

Isaiah, “Maybe.”

Adam, “Is he okay?”

Isaiah, “He’s stupid, but fine.”

Adam, “Can I go see him when you’re done?”

Isaiah, “He doesn’t want a lot of people bothering him. This is official business.”

Adam, “Do you know when he’ll be okay?”

Isaiah, “I dunno.”

Adam, “He said he was gonna show me how to fix an engine.”

Isaiah, “I can show you that.”

Adam, sheepishly, “I kinda wanted David to do it.”

Isaiah, “I was a doctoral student in engineering!”

Adam, “Yeah, but David’s David!”

Isaiah, “Go back to your barracks or wherever the hell it is you’re staying. Until you can tell David something about the Amalekites, you’ll just be bothering him.” Adam pouts and slinks off.

  * Isaiah goes into David’s room, “Your boy is looking for you.”



David, “Who?”

Isaiah, “Your boy, you know, the one who’s not pissed off at you right now.”

David, “Adam. I’ll talk to him later. What have you got?”

Isaiah sits down, opens the folder, and pulls out a large photograph, “I would be fuckin’ embarrassed to hand you a piece of shit like this. The construction is basic, and the work is shoddy. This is clearly someone who read ONE how-to manual on bomb-making and got to work. I’d be surprised if it even went off.”

There’s a knock at the door. David, “Yeah?”

The door opens and Monique enters, “Just so you know, there's pictures of you and Shay at Fistopia on OMGossip.”

David, “Shit. Well, I guess I shoulda expected that. Thanks for telling me.”

Monique, “OMGossip is also saying that it’s not a coincidence that you were there.”

David, “I was trying to save lives.”

Monique, “They’re saying that you’re actually the one behind these attacks.”

David, “What?! That's absurd! And I thought I clarified that after the attack on the palace! I got fucking shot! Why would I get shot at my own attack?!”

Monique, “You want me to say something?”

David, “No. We’re not even going to dignify that suggestion.”

Monique, “I mean about the fact that you were there, and you got shot without doing any big heroics.”

David, “Oh.” He sinks down into his bed and thinks.

Isaiah speaks up, “I don’t know if this is useful, but I think the fact that their main method of attacks have been bombings and that they don’t have a skilled bomb maker says something about how they’re operating.”

David, “How is that?”

Isaiah: “Reverend Samuels recruited me for a reason. The fact that you just happened to end up with people like Abby, Asher, Shay, and Joel on your team, none of that is a coincidence. Samuels was looking for people who know what they’re doing. He was looking for people he could build with. This Amal guy, he’s just looking for bodies. You should say something that thanks Shay for saving your life.”

Monique, “Not a bad idea. It’d help to tell people who Amal really is.”

David, “Yeah, okay, I can do that.”

  * Flashback, young Vesper, sporting several weeks’ worth of beard growth, sits huddled in the corner of a cell, illuminated only by light coming through a small window. The door creaks open, and Silas enters.



They look at each other for a moment, and then Silas says, “You’ve been sentenced to death. You’ll be executed tomorrow.”

Vesper looks up at him, and smiles, sadly, “Thank you. I deserve nothing less than being sent to hell.”

Silas, “You can still get into heaven if you repent.”

Vesper, darkly sarcastic, “I’m pretty sure mass-murdering madmen don’t get allowed into heaven. I’m going to hell, and I welcome it. Dante reserved the lowest circle of hell for traitors, in the circle of Judecca- eternally trapped in ice, can’t hear, can’t move, can’t breathe, while above them, the three head of Satan chew on Brutus, Cassius, and Judas Iscariot. Perhaps he’ll grow a new head for me.”

Silas, “No soul is beyond redemption.”

Vesper smirks, “You would be sent to Phlegethon, the river of boiling blood, reserved for the violent. Those who try to climb out get shot full of arrows by centaurs.”

Silas, “ _The Inferno_ is a work of fiction, written by one man. It’s not scripture.”

Vesper, “I’m still going to hell- Dante gives me something to think about.” He sits quietly for a moment, and his chin quivers ever so slightly. He looks back at Silas, “Where are my children?”

Silas, “Somewhere safe.”

Vesper, “Can I see them one last time?”

Silas, “No.”

Vesper nods sadly, accepting. He blinks, and tear fall out of his eyes, "Are they together?”

Silas, “I'm not telling you anything.”

Vesper weeps, “I’ve ruined their lives- How can anyone live with the name Abbadon, now? I- I ruined my revolution. I ruined my nation. I destroyed my family. I killed my wife. History will remember me as a vicious, inept tyrant, and they’ll be correct,” he looks at Silas, “Warner- Warner was the zealot. He was the brutal one. He had the charisma and iron will- I had the brains and the ideals. His ideas were too outlandish, I no longer wanted to be a part of his vision because it was so extreme. I wanted a nation based on God’s word, and look at what I did. Power drives men mad, and Warner was mad to begin with. He understands his madness. Me… I told myself the violence was God’s will. Never, ever, ever trust a man who says he understands God’s will.”

Silas, “You will be executed tomorrow morning.”

Vesper, “Thank you, Silas. Thank you.”

  * Helen enters Silas’s office, “You wanted to speak with me?”



Silas, “Come sit.”

Helen sits down, “What is this?”

Silas: “Your name has come up several times in connection with David Shepherd.”

Helen, enraged: “What?!”

Silas: “I have to ask.”

Helen, “Ask what?”

Silas: “Have you been in contact with David Shepherd or the Army of Free Gilboa?”

Helen: “No! I only met him the one time! How could you even believe that I had something to do with him?”

Silas: “It’s been brought up enough.”

Helen interrupts, “Brought up? By whom?”

Silas: “Certain influential individuals.”

Realization dawns in Helen’s eyes, “Rose’s friends.”

Silas: “As queen, Rose maintains a great number of social connections.”

Helen sniffs, “Rose has been saying shit about me. I thought I made friends at the gala, but when I try to talk to people for a second time, they want nothing to do with me. Rose is trying to ruin my life, and she’s succeeding.” She angrily wipes tears from her eyes, “You and Seth are the only people who speak to me anymore. And now you think I’m a terrorist. What’s Seth going to think?”

Silas: “I was only asking. There was a horrific attack on a music festival yesterday, and I’m afraid Shepherd had something to do with it.”

Helen: “He didn’t.”

Silas raises his eyebrows at Helen.

Helen: “I only met him once, and just from that alone, I can tell you, he wouldn’t carry out that kind of attack. He’s too damn nice.”

Silas: “If it isn’t Shepherd, it’s another terrorist group that hasn’t been identified.”

Helen, shaking her head in dismay, “I want to go back to the country! I want to take Seth back home!”

Silas: “That’s not possible!”

Helen, “I can’t stay here, Silas! Don’t act like you don’t think Rose will be happy to see me and Seth gone!”

Silas: “Being royalty means making sacrifices.”

Helen, “You can sacrifice your other children, I’m not sacrificing Seth!”

Silas: “Seth is going to be king!”

Helen, “No, he isn’t! Jack ran away because he didn’t want to be king, and I’m saving Seth before that ever happens!”

Silas, intimidatingly, “So what are you going to do? Do you really think you can just take him back? That I won’t find him? That I won’t bring him back to his rightful place as heir to the kingdom of Gilboa?”

Helen cries, “Please don’t threaten me, Silas!”

Silas: “You’re the one threatening me! You can’t leave! Not, unless, of course, you really do have plans to go be Shepherd’s next concubine.”

Helen: “How dare you say that about me!”

Silas: “You can’t leave, and you can’t keep Seth away from me. You’re dismissed.”

Helen, “Are you just throwing me out now?”

Silas: “You are dismissed!”

Helen stares at Silas, barely holding back her rage. She desperately wants to say something, but can’t think of it. She gets up and leaves.

  * In Reinhardt’s office, Frank looks around nervously, “Is this place under surveillance?”



Reinhardt, “I'm the one who orders that surveillance, so no.”

Frank, “Are you positive?”

Reinhardt, “I checked.”

Frank, “We need to look directly into identifying Alek Amal. Can we still do this under your plan?”

Reinhardt sighs, “I can, but I’d have to keep it very low-key. The MSS does enough low-level investigations, it’d blend right in. However, this guy is pretty good at hiding. It’s going to take much more than a cursory look to track him down. That’s going to require time and resources. It’ll get noticed, and probably reported back to the king.”

Frank, “Can you hide it from him?”

Reinhardt, “Silas is pretty good at letting the MSS do its job, but a proper investigation would involve army resources, and Abner tells Silas everything. In theory, I can keep it all within the MSS, but that would require a significant amount of risk on my behalf.”

Frank, “What kind of risk?”

Reinhardt, “Silas trusts me. If I get caught hiding things from him, that trust will be broken. I can’t sacrifice that.”

Frank, “You’re just unwilling.”

Reinhardt, “And I’m unwilling! I told you I’m not going to do anything stupid. You’re going to have to be the one who takes the noble risks here. Do you have any ideas?”

Frank thinks for a while, “Are you still gathering intelligence on the Amalekites?”

Reinhardt, “Yes.”

Frank, “That intelligence needs to make it to people who will actually use it.”

Reinhardt, “If I understand what you’re implying here, you’re suggesting we commit treason.”

Frank, “Two hundred innocent people are dead, Caesar. If Silas won’t stop that from happening again… Someone has to. And right now, there’s only one group that may have the capabilities to do so.”

Reinhardt thinks for a moment, showing the tiniest bit of conflict, “I’ll give you the intel. But I had nothing to do with this, understand?”

Frank, “You’re doing the right thing.”

  * Helen walks Seth to the city park, security guys trailing behind them.



Seth: “We’ve already been to the park once this week!”

Helen: “I know, but I need to get out of the palace. You aren’t complaining, are you?”

Seth grins, “No, I’m not!” He coughs a little bit.

Helen: “You all right, sweetie?”

Seth: “I’m okay.”

Helen: “Good. Listen, your Aunt Rose hasn’t said anything about me to you, has she?”

Seth coughs some more, but says, “What? No.”

Helen smiles, “Good.”

Seth: “What has she said about you?”

Helen: “Don’t worry about it. I think she misses Jack and Michelle, and doesn’t know how to handle it.”

Seth coughs and gasps for air.

Helen: “Seth?”

Seth coughs, gasps, and collapses.

Helen, “Seth!”

The security guys run forward.

Helen stays calm, “Call an ambulance!”

  * Silas hurries into the hospital waiting room where Helen talks to Seth’s doctor, Dr. Abramson.



Silas: “What the fuck happened?”

Helen: “Seth fainted on a walk to the park.”

Silas: “You took him to the park?”

Helen: “I needed to get out, and I thought he did too!”

Silas: “That’s too much activity for him!”

Helen: “He used to run around every day when we lived in the country!”

Silas: “Is he all right?”

Abramson: “It appears there’s fluid backup in his lungs, we’re working on flushing it out.”

Silas: “Good. He should be fine once that happens.”

Abramson: “I want to perform an echocardiogram. I need to get a good look at his heart, and make sure that he isn’t experiencing heart failure.”

Helen nods grimly, “Thank you, Dr. Abramson.”

Silas removes his glasses and wipes his eyes, “This… this is how it all started with Michelle.”

Abramson: “If he is experiencing heart failure, we have a number of treatment options.”

Silas: “That’s what they said with Michelle!”

Helen: “He doesn’t need a transplant, Silas. Not yet.”

Abramson: “I haven’t yet fully diagnosed heart failure, but, if he’s up and walking around, he’s far from the end stage. However, if there is a family history, it may be wise for you to begin preparing Seth and yourselves for that possibility, even if it’s years away. Is it at all possible for him to speak with his sister?”

Silas: “No.”

Abramson: “Very well. This could very well just be a minor episode, and he’ll be back to his old self in no time. Would you like to go in and see Seth?”

Silas eases himself into a chair, “Give me a moment. You can leave.”

Abramson: “Certainly.”

The doctor walks off. Silas rubs his eyes.

Helen: “There has to be some way that Michelle can speak to Seth.”

Silas: “If she comes to Shiloh, she’ll cut my heart out and give it to him.”

Helen: “You’re exaggerating.”

Silas: “You didn’t see how angry she was when she last spoke to me.”

Helen, “She adored you.”

Silas: “She hates me, now. She calls me Silas, not Dad. She’s had combat training. She’s a lieutenant in an army. She’s won medals.”

Helen: “She’s still Seth’s sister.”

Silas sighs heavily, “I have to get back to the palace. I’m supposed to make an address on the terrorists that attacked the music festival.”

Helen: “Are you even going to talk to Seth?”

Silas: “I’ll talk to him when he comes home. I have to go be king, now.”

Helen: “Silas!”

He gets up, and leaves.

  * (flashback) In the morning, Vesper, freshly groomed and prepared for execution, sits in a cell beside another prisoner. He holds his hands together and prays silently. Silas comes up to his cell, guards following behind him. Vesper opens his eyes and looks at Silas.



Silas, “It’s time.”

A guard unlocks the door. The others go in. Instead of grabbing Vesper, they grab the other prisoner, put duct tape over his mouth, and a hood over his head. The other prisoner struggles and fights, but the guards take him away. A couple of other guards enter the cell and gently guide Vesper up. Vesper stares incredulously as he’s led past Silas and down another hallway.

o Outside, Silas stands between Samuels and ten-year-old Jack, a large group of politicians and dignitaries behind them. The prisoner slumps over at the stake, his body shaking with sobs.

Samuels, “May God have mercy on your soul.”

Silas, “Ready,” the executioners get into position, “Aim,” the executioners look their rifle scopes, “Fire!"

The crack of gunshots. Jack jumps but doesn’t look away. The prisoner slumps over, full of bleeding bullet holes. Silas smirks. Samuels looks curiously from Silas, back to the jail, where a windowless van drives away.

Samuels looks back at Silas, “You mother _fucker_.”

Silas, “Don’t use that kind of language around Jack, Ephraim.”

o At the palace, Vesper sits in his cell, looking around at his new digs. The door opens, and Silas enters.

He opens a chess board on the desk, and begins arranging pieces, “Do you play chess?” (end flashback)

  * Silas sits with Vesper, silently playing chess.



Vesper makes a move, and Silas grimaces, “Goddamnit.”

Vesper, “You’re preoccupied. It’s affecting your game.”

Silas, “I’d tell you, but you won’t believe me.”

Vesper, “More problems with Shepherd?”

Silas, “There was an attack on a music festival. Suicide bombers, gunfire, straight out of Warner’s playbook. Shepherd is in Ammon, being protected by Warner. I know they’re behind it.”

Vesper thinks for a moment, “Do you know the motive for such an attack?”

Silas, “To kill as many people as possible.”

Vesper makes a face, “Warner is a madman, but he’s not a fool. He only attacked targets with strategic importance.”

Silas, “It was a music festival, a bastion of sin and idolatry. You loved to attack places like that.”

Vesper, “I did, but Warner always yelled at me afterwards for wasting our resources.”

Silas, “He’s a king, now, he has a hell of a lot more resources than he used to!”

Vesper, “Silas, you are just going to have to trust me when I say that I know Warner better than you do. He’s a strategist. Everything he does, he does for a clear reason. He has no patience for anything that doesn’t bring him an immediate result. Why would he waste his time killing civilians at a music festival when he could send Shepherd directly into the palace to kill you?”

Silas, “Then what the hell am I supposed to do? Admit that I have no idea who these people are? Admit that I can’t keep my people safe?!”

Vesper, “Fight them! Show them that Silas Benjamin doesn’t just lay down! You took an oath to defend your people, carry it out!”

Silas doesn’t say anything. He looks down at the chessboard and makes a move.

Vesper, incredulously, “Are you actually getting tired of fighting?”

Silas, quietly, “I’ve been having dreams about Kathleen again. My sweet, darling little sister, and she only comes to me in times of unbearable darkness. Seth is sick, just like Michelle was, just like Kathleen. I can’t make it better. I can’t fix him. I suppose this is God’s way of keeping me humble. I can start a war, I can conquer a country, but I can’t make my little boy healthy again. It’s what Ephraim would say, anyway. I just wish God would humble me without hurting Seth.”

Vesper, sadly, “I dream of my children every day.”

Silas, “You don’t deserve your children. I will deal with Warner and Shepherd, just like I always do.”

  * David sits in his hospital bed with everyone else around him. Jack sits on his bed next to him. They all watch a TV, turned to a news channel anticipating an address by Silas.



David looks over at Abby: “Do you have any idea what he’s gonna say?”

Abby: “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Jack: “Blah blah blah, this is all David Shepherd’s fault, blah blah blah, David Shepherd sucks, blah blah blah, death to the AFG.”

David: “We’ve got statements ready, right? In case he does blame this all on us?”

Asher: “Yeah, I got some stuff together. We’ve got plenty of evidence to show the Amalekites aren’t us, and, honestly, I don’t know why any rational person would believe that it’s us at this point.”

David: “Good.”

Joel: “What if he declares war on Ammon? Is Warner gonna do like Shaw and turn us over?”

David: “Warner wants a war. He’s told me he won’t turn us over.”

On the TV: a commercial, images of proudly lined up Gilboan soldiers, with a voiceover, “Gilboa needs real heroes.” Montage of patriotic images, with heroic military imagery. Close-up of a soldier, “Be a real hero. CrossGen.” The CrossGen logo. Everyone looks at each other, bewildered.

Jack sighs, “I’m pretty sure Andrew’s behind that.”

Monique, “Y’all heard that he’s in control of OMGossip right now, right?”

Shay, “That’s a weird combination. celebrity gossip and weapon manufacturing.”

Jack, “It’s deliberate. Andrew doesn’t do anything without thinking about it five steps ahead.”

Joel sneers, “I know we’re supposed to be about peace and justice and all, but I wouldn’t mind seeing that little prick dead.”

David, “What’d he ever do to you?”

Joel thinks for a moment, but then Silas appears on the TV: “Good evening, Gilboa.”

Joel, “Watch this.”

Silas, “Yesterday, under the guise of another terrorist group calling themselves the Amalekites, The Army of Free Gilboa attacked the Fistopia Music Festival.”

Everyone reacts with dismay, “Oh, come on! Dumbass!”

Monique: “We can really make this work for us. Silas is crazy, he doesn’t care about his citizens, he’s just obsessed with David.”

David: “Shut up, I can’t hear.”

Silas: “The nation of Ammon is harboring Shepherd and the AFG leadership. If they do not turn them over, I will have no choice but to declare war.”

David sighs, “We’ve gotta start making plans again.”

  * Silas on a TV: “I remain dedicated as ever in my quest to destroy Shepherd and his so-called army. I will not be distracted or led elsewhere.”



In a small break room, Amal watches the address, smirking. He wears a dress shirt, tie and name tag.

Silas: “I will not rest until Shepherd is dead and order has been restored to Gilboa!”

The door opens, and a harried-looking middle aged woman enters, “Greg! Your break’s over! I need you back on the floor, now!”

Amal quivers with hatred, “Be right there, Susan.” He scowls, turns the TV off, and heads out the door.

He walks out into the lady’s shoe section of a department store. He goes over to where two women sit down, wearing a customer service smile, “Can I help you ladies with anything?”

One of the women hands him a shoe, “Can I have this in a size eight and a half please?”

Amal, “Of course.” He turns around, and his pleasant smiles turns back into a cold scowl as he goes to find the right shoes.


	24. S3, E12: Bills To Pay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rewarding myself for getting a difficult bit of writing done with an early chapter post. What even is a posting schedule any more.

**“Bills to Pay”**

David and Jack lay tightly cuddled together on David’s narrow bunk. Morning light barely shines thought a small window. There’s an urgent knock at the door, and David sort of stirs. There’s a second, louder knock.

David shakes Jack’s shoulder and mumbles, “You get it.”

Jack groans and slowly moves to get out of bed.

There’s a third knock, this time pounding, and Jack opens the door, “What?”

Michelle stands on the other side, harried from just getting out of bed herself, “We need you to deal with something!”

  * David, hastily dressed and hobbling on a pair of crutches, hurries down a hallway with Jack and Michelle. Outside, a group of immaculately dressed Ammonian soldiers confronts Shay, Abby, Asher, and Joel, all of whom have clearly just been roused from sleep.



The Ammonian leader, “I have direct orders from King Warner to search the AFG camp for contraband.”

Shay, “That’s not gonna happen!”

Leader, “I am authorized to use force, if necessary.”

David hurries up as quickly as he can, “Hold on, hold on! Nobody’s using force, okay?!”

Shay, “I can use force right back, though, right?”

David, “Not right now!” Frustrated, he turns back to the leader, “You said Warner gave you orders?”

Leader, “Yes.”

David, “Okay, well, nothing’s gonna happen until I talk to Warner.”

Leader, “I have orders!”

David, “Your orders can wait!”

Shay, “Does this mean I can use force?!”

David looking warily from the leader to Shay, “If they try anything, yes.”

Shay smiles smugly at the leader.

David, “But not until they try anything! I’m gonna talk to Warner.”

  * Silas, Helen, and Seth sit in the back seat of an SUV.



Silas puts his arm around Seth’s shoulder, “All right, puppy, you’ve gotta take it easy when we get home, but you’re gonna be okay.”

Seth: “I know. This has happened before.”

Driver: “There’s protesters at the palace, sir, should I take the back way?”

Silas growls, “Oh for fuck’s sake!”

Helen: “Silas! Not in front of Seth!”

Silas rolls his eyes, “I’m sorry. Seth, don’t talk like you dad.”

Driver: “Should I take the back way, sir?”

Silas, “Yes, take the back way.”

Seth: “Are you gonna shoot these protesters?”

Helen: “What?!”

Silas, “Not unless they shoot first.”

  * Angry anti-war protest. Protesters shake signs and scream at riot police surrounding the palace. Amal walks around the edges of the scene, taking in all the chaos. He calmly walks down the streets of Shiloh, while police officers club protesters over the head. He goes into a coffee shop. He walks up to a table where two young men sit, and sits down without saying hello.



One of the men, Dylan, the smaller and more nervous of the two, says, “You Amal?” Amal only smiles coyly, and says nothing.

Dylan, in a quiet, breathy voice, “The attack on the music festival… I saw the footage, and…. _I have always wanted to do something like that_.”

Amal, “Slaughter hundreds of innocent people?”

Dylan smiles darkly, “Yeah.”

Amal, “Why aren’t you in the army?”

Dylan, “I hate Silas.”

Amal, “Why don’t you join David Shepherd?”

Dylan rolls his eyes, “Shepherd’s the only one who shoots anyone. All the AFG’s done is hide. I want action.”

Amal looks over at the second guy, “Do you feel the same way?”

The second guy, Jake, nervously glances at Amal, “I used to be in the AFG. I was in a church in Nob when we were attacked by the army. It was chaos. We didn’t get orders, we didn’t fight, we were just told to run. Now Shepherd and his friends are all safe in Ammon, and what the fuck are the rest of us doing? I want to see Silas taken down, but Shepherd’s not gonna do it.”

Amal smiles, “I think you’ll find a home among the Amalekites.”

  * David and Jack stand in a hallway, waiting for Warner.



Jack, “Why now?”

David, “Fuck if I know.”

Jack, “Something’s changed. This is on purpose.”

David, “You think I don’t know that?”

The door at the end of the hallway opens, and Warner enters.

David does his best to stand up respectfully, “Hello, sir, there seems to have been some kind of misunderstanding-”

Warner cuts him off, “There was no misunderstanding, General.” He opens the door to a conference room, “There are things I need to discuss with you.”

  * Inside, David awkwardly flops into a seat.



Warner, “What happened to your leg?”

David, “Tried to save someone at Fistopia.”

Jack, “That’s not why we’re here. Why is our camp suddenly being raided?”

Warner, “It’s not a raid. Ammonian soldiers regularly have their barracks searched for contraband.”

David, “This isn’t part of what we agreed to. You said the AFG would be allowed to conduct its own affairs.”

Warner, “I’ve been misled.”

David, “What? How?”

Warner, “You’ve lied to me about the nature of your relationship with Prince Jack.”

David tried not to look at Jack, “I haven’t said any lies. I’m actually really bad at lying.”

Jack chimes in, “He is. He really is.”

Warner pushes a tablet across the table to David, “Please explain this.”

David picks up the tablet and looks at it. His face quickly contorts from confusion to horror to humiliation, to fury. Jack just tries not to laugh.

David, “Th- this was filmed without our consent!”

Jack, “Yeah, that would be The People’s Hotel in Ashdod. Shoulda figured our rooms were bugged.”

Warner, “How long have you been engaged in homosexual activity?”

Jack, “Do you want my full history? ‘Cuz we’re gonna be here a while.”

David, “Where did this leak?! I didn’t even know this existed!”

Warner, “Have you two engaged in homosexual activity since entering Ammon?”

David, “That’s none of your business!”

Jack, wise-ass, “What the fuck do you think, Warner?”

Warner, “Homosexuality is illegal here.”

Jack, “So is murder, but we were given special permission to execute Douglas Ericson, so I’d assume if we can break one of the ten commandments, some other light sinning would be okay.”

Warner, “That was an act of war granted to the Army of Free Gilboa!”

Jack, sighing impatiently, “So what does all this _mean_ , Warner? You know I’m gay. We’ve never said anything, but it’s kind of an accepted fact that David and I are a couple. We have a lot of queer people in our ranks and in our leadership, yet you still let us in. So let’s not pretend you aren’t willing to overlook a few things if it means in the end, you get what you want.”

Warner, “I have other people willing to help me.”

Jack makes a face, “Oh, God, is my Uncle William behind this? He is, isn’t he?”

David, panicked, “I’m wounded! You can’t kick us out if I’m wounded!”

Warner, “The AFG is welcome to stay in Ammon for as long as it needs, however, its members will be expected to adhere to Ammon’s law.”

David, “Your soldiers can’t just up and raid our camp whenever you feel like it.”

Warner, “I can’t allow anything that might lead to the moral degradation of my forces.”

Jack, “If your troops are being morally degraded, that’s your problem, not ours.”

David thinks for a moment, “How about a voluntary turn-in?”

Jack looks over at him, “What?”

David, “We’ll follow your rules, but we won’t let you subjugate us. The AFG will maintain its own authority.”

Warner, “I’ll agree to that on the grounds that all of Ammon’s other laws will be abided by, especially by you two.”

David, “What do you mean?”

Warner, “Strictly no homosexual activity.”

David and Jack exchange looks.

David, “Jack is one of my leaders, I have to be able to talk to him.”

Warner, “You can talk. You just can’t touch each other.”

Jack, “That’s bullshit.”

Warner, “It’s the law every citizen of Ammon is expected to abide by.”

Jack looks at David helplessly.

David thinks for a long moment, “All right.”

Jack, “Seriously?”

Warner, “Then we're in agreement.”

David, “Just one thing?”

Warner, “What?”

David, “Are you in contact with William or Andrew Cross?”

Warner, “It’s of no concern to you.”

David, “It is of great concern to me, if William and Andrew are the ones leaking compromising videos of me and Jack.”

Warner, “The video was posted on a gossip website. I don’t know where else it came from. You’ll have to ask Gerald.”

David, “Are you talking to William Cross or not?”

Warner, “I’m not at liberty to say.”

David, “So you are.”

Warner, “If you want to know my business, then I should have a right to know yours. I suggest you keep in line, or else I’ll have to start monitoring the AFG’s electronics.”

David and Jack exit into the hallway, Warner behind them.

Warner, “We had a good talk. Hopefully we can come to a better understanding in the future.”

David, politely as he can, “I’m sure we will. Goodbye, sir.”

Warner nods to them and heads off.

  * Once the door closes behind him, Jack turns to David, “What the FUCK?!”



David, “Look, we need to get out of here, anyway, this at least gets him off our back for a little bit.”

Jack, “Among other things. How are you actually going to get people to agree to a voluntary turn-in?”

David, “We can set up a tent where people can turn shit in anonymously.”

Jack, “This is more than just porn and weed, this includes condoms, birth control, hormones for our trans soldiers! People are going to have to take the pride patches off of their jackets! Our Muslim troops will have to turn their Qur’ans in! Asher could get locked up for saying shabbat shalom to the wrong person!”

David impatiently, “And that’s why we’re going to be careful! I never meant to stay here this long, anyway! We should have started making an exit strategy a long time ago!”

Jack sighs and leans against the wall. He looks up at a camera above them. He says to David, “Warner’s gonna have his goons breathing down our necks 24 hours a day.”

David, sighing, “I know, but…. We’ve had to sneak around before. As I remember, that actually made things pretty hot.”

Jack, “We weren’t under surveillance, then. You know you can’t sleep without me.”

David, “I’ll get us out of here as soon as I can, all right? Even if I have to hobble out.”

Jack shakes his head, “All right.”

David, “Get a meeting together. We’ll figure everything out.”

  * Frank and Reinhardt march down a hallway towards a meeting in Silas’s office.



Frank, “Do you have any idea what kind of mood he’s in?”

Reinhardt, “Apoplectic. A video with the prince and Shepherd leaked, and Silas is blaming Warner for it. He’s ready for war with Ammon, he just needs to scream about it, first.”

Frank, “So I take it he’s shown no interest in our target.”

Reinhardt, “Nope. Our allies are going to have to take care of them. You sent them what they need, right?”

Frank, “Yes.”

They reach the door, and Reinhardt opens it, “Good.”

Inside the room, Silas screams, “You and Gerald are doing this to disgrace me, well, fuck you!”

They go inside, and Reinhardt closes the door.

  * In a meeting room, David and Jack meet with the rest of the AFG leadership, “I’ll be the first to admit that this sucks, but it’s the best we can do.”



Monique, “I’m not giving up my hormones.”

David, “You don’t have to-”

Michelle interrupts, “Give them to me. Doctors are allowed to prescribe hormones for certain medical problems, our medics can carry them and hand them out safely.”

David, “We need to get out of here as soon as we can, preferably before either Warner or Silas declares war.”

Shay, “We can get over the border, but what are we going to do once we’re there?”

David, “We need to focus on the Amalekites. They’re not going to stop killing innocent people.”

Shay, “We still don’t have any intel-”

Abby interrupts, “Yes, we do. A few days ago, I got sent a thumb drive from someone within Gilboa, who I don’t know if we can really trust.”

David, “Who?”

Abby: “My dad.”

A small grin appears on Shay’s face, “Your dad is Franklin Hatch, right?”

Abby, unhappy, “Yep.”

Shay: “He was my superior officer before I joined the rebellion. He’s very loyal to the people of Gilboa, and to the Gilboan army. He always said his loyalty to was to the people, anyway. If he thinks that Silas is doing something that hurts the people, I think he’d do the right thing.”

Abby, angry and sarcastic, “He made me marry an abusive asshole and said that it was my duty to Gilboa, when really, he didn’t like the fact that his little girl was a lesbian!”

Shay, somewhat stunned, “I’m sorry, I… he was always good to me.”

Abby: “Yeah, well, you were never in charge of giving him grandkids, were you?”

David: “Abby, do you need a minute?”

Abby, flustered, “No, I- I’m fine, I,” she takes a deep angry breath, “You know what, I think I am going to take a minute. I fucking hate my father, but have no reason to believe this is false intel. So I don’t know what the fuck is going on.”

David: “Does it say anything about Amal? We need to figure out who he is.”

Abby, “He’s finding people online, that much is clear, but how he’s convincing his followers to blow themselves up, I don’t know. And as for who he is, we don’t know.”

Shay: “According to satellite images that I’ve gotta from Ammon, there’s a compound not very far from here. We’d need to verify a few things, but I’m willing to bet that’s probably where they prepared for the attack.”

David, cautious, “Can we take it over?”

Shay: “Like an attack?”

David: “We’ve been doing nothing for too long! We need a victory with all of us, as an army. Because we have to move on from here. We have to start doing what we set out to do.”

Shay: “We set out to overthrow Silas.”

David: “And if we’re seen defending Gilboa by fighting the Amalekites while Silas does nothing, that’s two victories for us.”

Jack: “Is this intel even reliable?”

Abby: “I don’t know! If you’re willing to trust my dad, then yes, it’s reliable!”

Shay, cautiously, “I don’t think General Hatch would send us bad intel. He’s honest. I can send out a couple of Queens to scope the compound out, but we can’t just do a one-and-done attack and scurry back to Ammon. This has to be the start of an offensive, and that’s gonna take some planning.”

David: “That’s good! That’s exactly what we need to be doing! It’s what we probably should have been doing all along! We can start with this attack on the compound, and go from there, all the way to Shiloh.”

Jack: “You can’t just plot a campaign like you can plot a book. Shit happens, plans need to be flexible.”

David: “Yeah, I think I’ve fucking learned that by now! But this is a place to start, and finding a place to start is always the hardest part.”

Shay: “I say let’s do this. I’m ready to start kicking some real ass.”

  * Amal leads Dylan and Jake into a small, abandoned warehouse, “Welcome to church.” Jake and Dylan look around: a few members are there. Amal goes up to a rack of assault rifles, and picks one up. Dylan looks at the gun with love and longing.



He reaches for it, but Amal pulls it away, “Not yet. You have to earn the right to touch one of these.”

Jake: “So what exactly is your plan? Are you just going to keep killing people?”

Amal puts the gun back on the rack and smiles, “I’m glad you asked. I’ve listened to the reports on the attacks, using words like, evil, and crazy, which I find terribly amusing. My philosophy is simple: society is sick. Eventually, society will fall apart. King Silas is currently waging two wars, and that doesn’t even include what David Shepherd is doing. Silas and Shepherd will fight each other until nothing is left. No kings, no government, no rules. Only the truly superior will survive this war. Those who recognized that society was falling apart, and not only prepared for it, but hastened it. Every bombing the Amalekites carry out is an act of great mercy, you see, putting a sick and dying way of life out of its misery.”

Dylan: “I’m in. I want to be a part of the next mission.”

Amal: “Earn it, first.”

Jake: “I dunno, man, this all still feels pretty crazy.”

Amal: “What made you join Shepherd and the AFG?”

Jake: “I want to see Silas overthrown.”

Amal: “No. Tell me the real reason you joined.”

Jake: “What?”

Amal: “Were you truly ideologically driven when you left the comforts of home and took up the life of a revolutionary? Or was the harsh life of a man at war somehow better than the slow misery of staying at home?”

Jake shrugs, “I ran the cash register at a gas station. It paid the bills.”

Amal laughs, “It paid the bills. Were you happy, paying your bills? Your bills were paid, and what did they get you? A life that you were willing to leave behind.”

Jake: “I wanted to be a part of something big. Something important. I thought Shepherd was gonna change the world, but, he hasn’t done anything.”

Amal: “Here’s your chance. Do something.”

Jake, “All right. I’m in.”

Amal smiles, “When society falls, and the Amalekites re-build, you will no longer have to worry about paying your fucking bills.”

  * In a tent, Ammonian soldiers stand on one side of a table, while AFG soldiers stand on the other side. Liam stands smirking with his arms around two girls. In the middle of the table is a modest pile of contraband, mostly in the form of gay muscle mags and bright, sparkly sex toys. The AFG soldiers all smirk and stifle laughter. An Ammonian soldier opens a trash bag with a flourish and begins pushing stuff in. Another soldier picks up a giant, bright green dildo. A camera flashes, and an AFG soldier laughs as he snaps a picture. Sheepishly, the Ammonian soldier stuffs it into the bag while the other AFG soldiers laugh.



  * In a conference room, Shay draws on a map while David looks on. She marks a spot on the border, “This is a spot that’s not being covered by either Ammon or Gilboa. We can go through here, and from there, go to the Amalekite compound, which is here.” She marks another x.



She takes some photos out of a folder, “This is the compound. There’s maybe ten people there. Based on what I saw at Fistopia, and what Isaiah’s told me about their bombs, I don’t really think the Amalekites are really big on training, but they could also be recruiting ex-soldiers, so we shouldn’t assume anything. That being said, if there’s only ten people, we can blast a hole in one of the walls, enter the building, and make quick work of everyone inside.”

David thinks for a moment, “So once we take this compound out, what are we going to do with it? It’s tempting to make the compound into some kind of HQ, but I’m sure that an attack will only send more Amalekites, and probably some Gilboans.”

Shay: “There’s a mountain range nearby with a network of caves. It’d be a good place to set up a stronghold.”

David, “We stay there long enough for the Gilboan army to come, but once they come, we leave. It shows we’re not interested in fighting the army, just those who are hurting Gilboa. We find a way to make it clear that we were the ones who defeated the Amalekites, but then did the right thing. There’s got to be information we can find there, clues about who these people are. We can show people what we find, and ask for help finding more about the Amalekites. Where are we going to go when we get out of the mountains?”

Shay: “Iggy has another place in northern Carmel, it’d be a good place to head towards. It’s well-protected just like his ranch was.”

David nods, “Yeah, this is the right thing to be doing.” He moves to stand up, but winces in pain from his leg, and sits back down. He looks at Shay, “I want to make you my lieutenant general.”

Shay’s eyes widen in surprise, “What?”

David: “Ever since people started calling me General, I’ve sort of been thinking about AFG ranks and whatnot, and… You knew when to say no to me. I want you to keep saying no to me. I need someone to tell me when I’m doing something stupid. I want you to be second-in-command. If something happens to me, you’ll take over leadership of the AFG.”

Shay, still in disbelief, “Is Jack okay with this?”

David: “He’ll be in charge of things politically, but when it comes to military leadership, he agrees with me in thinking that you’re the right one. He thinks you’ll do a much better job of saying no to me than he ever could.”

Shay: “Will you actually listen to me when I tell you not to do something stupid?”

David: “I will. I’m still making a lot of this shit up as I go along, but I realize that I need to be a leader, not just a hero. This felt like the right place to start.”

Shay smiles, grateful, “Thank you, David. This is a real honor. I promise you, I won’t let you down.”

David smiles back at her, “I trust you.”

  * Reinhardt, looking flustered and tired, goes towards Silas’s office. He knocks on the door.



Silas, “Come in.”

Reinhardt enters, “You called for me?”

Silas glances up from some papers he’s reviewing, “Sit.”

Reinhardt sits down, “Is there anything you want, sir?”

Silas puts his papers down, and then looks at Reinhardt, “Have any of your fellow officers been doubting me?”

Reinhardt, "Doubting you?”

Silas, “I see how they all look at me.”

Reinhardt, “Look at you how?”

Silas gestures towards him, “Like that! Like you’re talking to a dementia patient!”

Reinhardt does his best to rid his face of any expression, “You’ll have to forgive me, sir. It’s been a long day, and I have a splitting headache.”

Silas, “Peppermint oil.”

Reinhardt, “I’m sorry?”

Silas, “Put peppermint oil on your forehead and temples. I dunno how it works, but it gets rid of damn near every headache. For a little while, at least.”

Reinhardt, “I’ll have to try that.”

Silas, “Thomasina usually carries a bottle with her, ask her about it.”

Reinhardt, “I will.”

Silas nods, thinking for a moment, and then says, “I need my officers to believe in me. I can’t allow any room for doubt and hesitation.”

Reinhardt, “I know I can’t speak for everyone, but I put all of my faith in you, my king. I haven’t heard a word of doubt or dissent from anyone, I swear to you.”

Silas eyes him uneasily, and then says, “All right, then,” he pauses for a moment, still uneasy, “How’s your boy?”

Reinhardt, “Matthew?”

Silas, “Yes, him.”

Reinhardt gives a tired smile, “He’s wonderful. I leave for work, and by the time I get home, he’s bigger. He’s healthy, growing, learning. Everything I could ask for.”

Silas smiles sadly, “Enjoy this time. It doesn’t last long at all. Killed to me to have to be away from Jack and Michelle when they were that age.”

Reinhardt, “I try to appreciate every moment of it.”

Silas smiles at him again, nostalgic. His expression changes, and he grows more serious, “When we attack Ammon, I want to find Shepherd as quickly as possible and take him out. I want his location confirmed.”

Reinhardt, “That may be difficult to do. He’s likely changed his location several times since fleeing into Ammon, and he’s likely to change again.”

Silas: “Well, find him, then!”

Reinhardt, slyly, “If Shepherd makes it back into Gilboa, we’ll need to redouble our intelligence efforts. Activity among those calling themselves Amalekites will surely go up, it would be wise to brace for more possible attacks.”

Silas, “You do whatever the fuck you need to do, Caesar, as long as it leads you to Shepherd.”  
Reinhardt, “Of course, your majesty. I’ll have General Hatch put in charge of it.”

  * Jack follows David as he hobbles towards his officer’s quarters. Davis fumbles with his keys and tries to open the door.



Down at the other end of the hallway, a guard yells, “You two aren’t to be alone together!”

Jack, “I have to get my shit!”

Guard, “Leave the door open!”

David opens the door, “Come on, Jack.” He goes in and pulls himself up onto his bed.

Jack sits down next to him, a space in between them. He looks down the hallway at the guard keeping an eye on them, “So, what? You just going to stand there and listen to us talk about all the gay shit we do together?”

The guard pretends not to hear.

Jack, “I bet you'd like that. Perv.”

David, exasperated, “Jack!”

Jack, still yelling at the guard, “Yeah, I know you're gonna go home and spend all night jerkin’ it to our tape, aren’t you?”

David, blushing furiously, "Jack, shut up!”

Jack looks back at him, “It’s a hot tape, babe.”

David, “We were being monitored the whole time we were there.”

Jack, “Hey, at least we’re not furries. Someone seriously trying to embarrass us could have done a lot worse. Now the whole world knows you’ve got a big dick.”

David, still embarrassed, “It's not that, it’s…” he thinks for a moment, “After the tank, suddenly, everyone wanted to know every single little thing about me, and people were analyzing every little thing I said and did, scrutinizing everyone I was seen with, digging up every single aspect of my life that they could, it was all surreal and disorienting and just fucking strange, and everyone was convinced that I was in a relationship with Michelle and they started projecting all this shit onto it, and I felt like I had to consider every little fucking thing I did, and then… you. It was secret, and private, and I didn’t have to perform any of it. I could just be myself again. And, honestly, it was pretty exciting. Suddenly complete strangers knew everything about me, but, I could keep the biggest, best thing in my life all to myself. I like having you all to myself.”

Jack sighs, “David, before you came along, my honest-to-God best case scenario was dying heroically in battle. It was the only way I could imagine ever actually imagine my dad showing pride in me. I was such an asshole to you at first because, not only did you save my life when I wanted to die, you had to go and be so fucking handsome, and have everyone love you, and then be everywhere. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and I knew I could never have you. So imagine my elation when I kiss you, and you kiss me back. I grew up feeling ashamed of my feelings for boys. I thought there was something wrong with me, and it could never be fixed. Now, I’m dating the hottest guy in Gilboa. Everyone wants you, but I’m the one who gets a piece. So you can’t really blame me if I want to have a parade through downtown Shiloh, shouting David loves me, and yes, the dick is just as good as you’ve imagined.”

David blushing, “Please don’t say that.”

Jack, “You’re right, it’s even better.”

David sighs and looks longingly at Jack, "Do you have a place to sleep?”

Jack, "Michelle said I can share her tent. Abby’s not happy about it, though.”

David, "Why?"

Jack, “She and Michelle are a couple now."

David, “Oh my god, it's spreading."

Jack laughs, "I know! I just hope I can be there when Dad finds out." They both laugh, and then sit silent for a moment.

Jack, “You can't sleep without me. How are you gonna get through tonight?”

David, “I dunno. I guess I'll find a way.”

  * In the dining room, waiters serve Helen, Seth, and Rose.



A waiter leans in to ask Rose, “Will His Majesty be joining you this evening?”

Rose, “Oh, I don’t know-”

She’s interrupted by Seth crying out, “Dad!”

Silas comes in without saying anything, and sits down.

Rose, to the waiter, “I guess he will be, then.” A waiter serves a plate to Silas.

Helen says to Seth, “Be sure you eat everything, okay? It’s important you get all your nutrition.”

Seth, “I will, I will,” he looks over at Silas, “What have you been doing today, Dad?”

Silas, “A lot of things. I’ve had to make some very important decisions. I’m afraid I may have no choice but to go to war with Ammon again.”

Seth, “You’re already at war with Gath.”

Silas, “I can carry on two wars.”

Seth, confused, “What about David Shepherd? And those guys that attacked that music festival?”

Silas, “I have a question for you, Seth.”

Helen, “Silas, this really isn’t the right time.”

Seth, “What?”

Silas, "Seth, what would you do if, as king, your top men started to turn on you?”

Helen, “This really isn’t the right time!”

Silas: “It’s never the wrong time to start preparing Seth for his future, and if you disapprove of it, you can leave the two of us in peace!”

Helen maintains her composure, but backs down.

Silas: “Tell me, Seth, what would you do?”

Seth, confused, “I… don’t understand. Turn on you, like, how? And who, exactly?”

Silas: “Say, an officer in your army questioned your judgement as king. Said you were making the wrong decision.”

Seth: “I don’t know… Try listening to him, a little bit, at least. Maybe he has a point.”

Silas: “But what if you know for sure that he’s wrong?”

Seth: “Then… make him follow orders? Because a king has absolutely authority?”

Silas smiles, “That’s a very wise decision.”

Seth: “But I’d still listen to him. I don’t think someone would say no to a king unless they were sure of something. Or totally crazy.”

Silas leans in and speaks in a low voice: “The first rule of being king, never undermine your own authority. Your officers and the army serve you. They must respect your decision, and never doubt your wisdom.”

Seth: “But what if you _are_ making a bad decision?”

Silas: “Only bad kings make bad decisions.”

  * Amal stands in front of a large TV screen, a group of followers behind him. On the screen is a view of a fancy hotel in downtown Shiloh.



Amal: “There’s a huge number of diplomats and government officials staying in this hotel, trying to sort out who’s doing what in Silas’s war.”

Outside the hotel, an Amalekite dressed in white approaches the front.

Amal, smiling cruelly: “Watch what happens.”

On the TV screen, the Amalekite goes into the hotel. A few seconds later, the windows flash and explode. People begin to rush out of the hotel. Situated on the roof of the building across the street, three Amalekites point their guns.

Amal raises his hand, “Wait just a second.”

More people stream out into the street, and first responders arrive.

Amal: “Now.”

The gunmen open fire on the people below.

o In the palace, an aide rushes the dining room, “Sir, there’s been another attack!” Silas rises to his feet while Seth looks on, confused and scared.

Silas, “God fucking damnit! I want Shepherd’s HEAD!”

o At the army base, Joel goes up to David’s room, “There’s been another attack!”

David, horrified and dismayed, “What? Where?”

Joel: “A bomb went off in the Belle Visage Hotel in Shiloh.”

David: “Can we send anyone to help?”

Joel: “I don’t think so.”

o In his warehouse, Amal turns to his followers, “Shepherd has never had the balls to do the right thing! You all have the chance to leave behind your boring lives, your shit jobs, your quiet desperation, and do the right thing, as one of the Amalekites!”

Dylan throws his hands up, “Fuck yeah!” The other followers clap and cheer. Amal smiles at them beatifically. ([“Personal Jesus” Mindless Self Indulgence](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_BmZMr1Iws))


	25. S3, E13: Stronghold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG it's the season 3 finale!

**“Stronghold”**

The wall outside of the Amalekite compound, quiet and peaceful. An attached bomb goes off, blowing a hole into it. Adam and Ryan lead a unit of fighters inside, and are met with resistance by the Amalekites there. The Amalekites outside are all killed, and Shay leads the group inside the compound, going from room to room. The fighting is close-up and ugly. Michelle and the other medics rush to tend their wounded comrades.

Shay speaks into a radio, “It’s getting pretty hairy in here, bring us in some backup!”

Jack leads a unit into the compound. Slowly, they work their way through the rooms of the compound, killing each Amalekite hiding in there. A group of soldiers go into the last room, where one final Amalekite stands. He raises his arms and blows himself up.

  * David, still walking with a slight limp, walks through the compound, led by Jack and Shay.



Shay: “We’re scouring every inch of the place, and found a couple of computers, some phones, and IDs for the twelve Amalekites who were here.”

Jack: “They’re fighting to the death. We’re not gonna get any surrenders.”

David: “I figured as much.”

Shay: “I don’t know when the rest of the Amalekites are going to figure out that something is up, but we should be ready to leave in a hurry.”

David: “I don’t want to hurry out and miss something.”

Jack: “Are we gonna go towards Shiloh?”

David: “Depends on what we find here. If we find nothing about other Amalekites, we document what we did and move on to Shiloh. If we find more Amalekite hiding places, we attack them. More than anything else, we need to ID whoever the hell Alek Amal is. He’s obviously the head of the snake here, if we can take him down, the rest of the Amalekites will likely scatter.”

Jack: “Or just go on a massive fucking killing spree.”

David: “Let’s see what we find.”

Shay: “Okay. Beyond that, we have one other issue we need to address.” She motions for David to follow her.

  * Shay leads David into a room, where the bodies of three AFG soldiers lay guarded.



Shay: “We can bury the twelve Amalekites here, but our soldiers deserve better than that.”

David looks on, and says softly, “Fuck.”

Shay: “What even are our options here, besides just burying them?”

David: “I… I really don’t know. Can we send them to a hospital or a mortuary without giving away that we’re back in Gilboa?”

Shay: “Probably not.”

David: “Bury them, but give them individual graves, and markers. I know it’s not great, but, fuck, we’ve gotta stay focused on what we’re doing, we can’t get sidelined. Make sure their families are notified and told everything. If they want to come here and get the remains, they can.”

  * Dr. Abramson speaks to Silas, Seth and Helen in a private room of the palace, “Seth, you’re at stage 3 heart failure. Your heart can’t pump enough blood, which is why you’ve been so tired.”



Seth, “It’s never pumped enough blood.” Helen wipes away tears.

Abramson: “Yes, but now it’s pumping even less blood than usual, and given your family history, it’s likely to get worse. But you aren’t out of luck.”

Seth: “That means I can get a transplant, right?”

Abramson: “When you reach stage 4.”

Silas: “I saw Michelle go through stage 4, Seth isn’t going to suffer like that. Give him a transplant.”

Abramson: “In order for Seth to receive a donor heart, another child, who happens to be a genetic match, has to die.”

Seth: “Mom explained how a transplant works to me. She told me about Michelle and her transplant.”

Silas: “I don’t want my son to suffer! Give him a transplant now!”

Abramson: “There are other children with end stage heart failure who will die soon if they don’t get their donor heart. I can’t violate medical laws just for one child.”

Silas: “Seth is the future king of Gilboa! He’s much more important than those other children! You have my full permission to violate any medical laws necessary to get Seth his heart!”

Abramson: “It would also violate a number of medical ethics.”

Silas: “Fuck your ethics!”

Helen: “Silas!”

Abramson: “When I was made a doctor, I took an oath, and I am not going to violate that oath.”

Silas: “I’ll have your medical license revoked before you even leave the palace.”

Abramson: “Your majesty, I’ve been Seth’s doctor since he was an infant. I treated Michelle. I’m one of the most respected cardiologists in Gilboa. I know Seth, I know his history, I know his symptoms, I know his heart. No other doctor can possibly treat Seth as well as I can. And I refuse to violate medical ethics. Seth will get his transplant when he reaches stage 4. In the meantime, there are plenty of options to help relieve his symptoms and keep him happy.”

Seth looks at Silas, “I don’t want another sick kid to die because of me, Dad.”

Silas sighs heavily, and puts his hand on his forehead, “I… I watched your sister go through stage 4, it’s… it’s awful.”

Seth: “But she made it through.”

Helen: “Yes, she did,” she looks over at Silas, “Seth is a Benjamin. He’s brave, he’s tough, and he can make it through stage 4, just like Michelle did.”

Silas gets up, “There has to be something that can be done!”

Seth: “When will I reach stage 4?”

Abramson: “That could be years away. You’re ten years old, and your sister received her transplant at 14.”

Silas heads towards the door without saying anything. Helen and Seth call after him. Silas exits the room.

Helen turns to Abramson, “I- I’m sorry,” she pats Seth on the shoulder, “He doesn’t want you to be sick, that’s all.”

  * Silas enters his office. He looks up at the shelves along the wall, holding they symbols of his kingship: The skull of Achison, photographs of his life. He goes over to the shelf full of photographs. The family portrait that Jack and Michelle sent, along with the picture they took in front of the farmhouse, are both propped up against other picture frames.



Silas looks at the image of Michelle: strong and confident, fully an adult, next to the portrait of her as a princess, in girlish clothes, with a shy, demure gaze. He looks at the portrait of Jack in his soldier’s uniform, grim, blank-eyed, next to the confident smirk in the farmhouse picture. He looks at two portraits of Seth: one a bright, happy school picture, the other a serious, very grown-up looking portrait as the prince of Gilboa.

Silas looks at the image of himself in the old family portrait, shoulders hunched, seemingly shrinking himself next to the intimidating presence of his father. Silas stares hard at the cruel face of Chris Benjamin.

Silas: “I’m not turning into you, you son of a bitch. I’m older than you ever got to be. I’m not a miserable drunk scratching around in the dirt. You earned one medal, I earned five!” He walks over to the window, and looks over his view of Shiloh.

He turns back to the portrait: “I’m the king of Gilboa!” He points out the window, “You see that? I built all that! What did you build? Nothing! I am loved and feared! I have surpassed you in every conceivable way!” Silas sits down, and stares at the ground.

His tone shifts, more serious, “I still have Seth. He isn’t going anywhere.”

He looks back up at the image of his father, “Did you lie to me like I lied to my children? Did you have a sister, a cousin? Who did you lose? Did you know you were giving Kathleen the disease that killed her? That you were giving it to me to give to Michelle and Seth? Or did you just not give a damn?”

He stares hard at the picture of Chris, “You never gave a damn.” He turns around at looks back out at the sky though his window.

He lowers his gaze, “God, what do I have to sacrifice to make sure Seth survives this? Jack and Michelle? I’ve done enough harm to them, You can’t hurt them, too!”

Silas tears up, “Do I have to give up my kingdom? Hand it over to Shepherd? Surely, surely, You can protect Seth, and protect Jack and Michelle, too! Please, You must protect them! Even when I do what a king must to do, You must protect them! Please, protect them!”

  * At the mall, Amal shows a young woman sitting in a chair a pair of shoes, “Size seven, right?”



The woman looks up at Amal submissively, and in a breathy voice, says, “Yes.”

Amal puts the box down on the ground, “Go ahead and try them on.”

The young woman takes her shoes off, casting nervous glances at Amal, and puts the new shoes on.

Amal: “They fit?”

Young woman: “Yes, they’re perfect.”

Amal: “Okay, want me to ring you up?”

Young woman, “Please.” She takes the new shoes off and puts them into the box. She holds the box out for Amal. When he takes it, their hands touch slightly. The young woman inhales sharply and shuts her eyes.

Quietly, she whispers, “You told me to meet you here. Are you Alek Amal?” She looks up at him in anticipation.

Amal smiles seductively, “Perhaps I am.”

Cut to: Amal vigorously fucking the ecstatic young woman in the employee break room.

  * Andrew has his photograph taken for a magazine.



A reporter scribbles notes as Andrew explains, “It’s really about serving my country. During my banishment, I truly learned to value my home country, and now that I’m back, I intend to give back to it what it has given to me. There’s a lot that’s said about certain individuals that people might consider heroic, but, there’s many ways to be heroic. Gilboa exists because of the innovation and hard work of the Cross family, and I only hope to continue that tradition. With CrossGen’s new technologies, we can fight better than ever before, and our enemies will know fear.”

Reporter, “Since you’ve taken over OMGossip, it’s seen a significant increase in negative coverage of David Shepherd. Is there a reason for that?”

Andrew, “I don’t know, is there? I’ve invested in journalism because I’m interested in the truth.”

Reporter, miffed, “Can OMGossip really be considered journalism?”

Andrew, “When was the last time something you reported was considered grounds for war?”

Reporter, “In targeting Shepherd, are you taking down who you see as a rival?”

Andrew, “I’m not targeting Shepherd. He just happens to have a few secrets that are being uncovered. And what would he rival me for?”

Reporter, “Is all of this the basis of some elaborate plot to become king?”

Andrew, “No.”

Reporter, “Do you share your father’s belief that the kingship of Gilboa should have gone to Alister Cross?”

Andrew, “No.”

Reporter, “Does the failure of your father’s coup have anything to do with that?”

Andrew, snapping, “No! I just don’t want to be king! I’m satisfied with what I have, I don’t need a crown on top of it!”

  * David and the leadership sit at a table in the compound.



David: “Okay, so what have we found?”

Asher: “We’ve got IDs for the dead Amalekites.”

David: “And?”

Asher, uneasily, “Three of them are AFG soldiers.”

David: “What?!”

Shay: “They may have gone back to Shiloh after what happened at Nob. We don’t know how they came to join the Amalekites.”

David: “Shit!”

Joel: “There’s gotta be some kind of ideology at work here. People don’t just blow themselves up for no reason.”

David: “You think?!”

Joel: “Amal is recruiting. Cults don’t sell their crazy up front, they lure followers in with something reasonable, then the crazy sets in.”

David: “You say cult…”

Joel: “A group of fanatical devotees following the word of a charismatic leader.”

David: “You might as well be describing the AFG there.”

Jack: “The Amalekites are crazy, we aren’t crazy.”

David: “Whatever. Let’s keep moving. Is there any reason for us to stay here any longer? We need to leave here before we get found out.”

Monique: “We gotta make the announcement- show the world we’re fighting the Amalekites and winning.”

David casts her a doubtful glance, “So what do you want me to do? Tell the world that people are leaving me for Amal?”

Monique: “That can come out in the wash. I want to go back to Shiloh. Alone. I’m no use to you as long as you’re in combat, and if I’m in Shiloh, I can look into the Amalekites, or at least figure out why people are leaving the AFG.”

David nods: “Okay. We’ll figure out some way for you to get there.”

Asher: “I have one question, about the intel we’ve found.”

David: “What?”

Asher: “Are we going to give this back to Abby’s dad? If we cooperate, we might be able to figure everything out sooner.”

David looks over at Abby.

Abby: “What? It’s intel, not personal correspondence. I can send him intel.”

Shay: “Is that the smart move, though? Do you really want to just hand Silas a victory?”

David: “Silas is still insisting that we’re the Amalekites. Silas won’t do anything with any intel, but General Hatch might be able to put some pieces together, or find new ways for us to get new intel.”

Jack: “What if this is just some ploy to get us to reveal intel on where we are and what we’re doing?”

Abby shrugs: “I wouldn’t put it past him.”

David: “Then we won’t send anything. We’ll show a little bit of what we have in the video we release, enough to build off of, and if Hatch finds anything, he can send it to us.”

  * Silas goes into a room where Seth sits playing a video game. Silas half-smiles, “Are you winning?” The image on screen blows up.



Seth looks back, “I just died.”

Silas goes over to the couch that Seth sits on, “Well, that’s no good.” He sits down, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Seth: “What about?”

Silas pulls a phone out of his pocket, and finds a picture on it. He holds it out to Seth. On screen is an image of Michelle receiving the Golden Palm.

Silas: “This was Michelle when you and I were in Damascus. She’s a medic with the Army of Free Gilboa. She saved the life of the Queen of Moab, and the lives of a bunch of other people, and she received medals for it.”

Seth grins at the picture, “That’s cool. I want to do that.”

Silas: “You can do it when you receive your transplant.”

Seth: “I don’t want one if I don’t need one.”

Silas: “Are you afraid it will hurt?”

Seth: “No! I’ve had surgery before! I’ve been sick! I’m not afraid of being hurt or being sick! I don’t want any other family to go through that because of me. That’s way worse than being sick.”

Silas smiles at Seth, “You’re very brave, Seth.”

Seth: “I’m brave like my dad.”

Silas: “And your sister.”

  * Video of David walking around the Amalekite compound: “We’ve identified the twelve people who were stationed here. We found computers and phones, and we’re working to figure out how they ended up being here. If there are more compounds like this one, we will identify them and take them out.”



  * Amal watches the video on his phone, in the employee locker room at his department store. He laughs and rolls his eyes.



  * In the food court, the young woman he was fucking earlier sits at a table, eating a pile of Chinese food. Amal approaches, carrying a tray with a slice of pizza and a soda. He sets it down next to the woman, and sits.



The woman, nervously: “If you’re the leader of the Amalekites, why are you working in a lady’s shoe department?”

Amal: “Because no one would ever suspect the leader of the Amalekites to work in a lady’s shoe department.” He takes a bite of his pizza and smiles.

The woman fawns, “That’s so smart.”

Amal, “It’s not for much longer, though. My hatred of this place is what drove me to create the Amalekites. It transformed me, and now, it fuels me. Someday soon, I’m going to have my revenge on this place.”

Woman: “I want to be a part of it.”

Amal: “And you shall be.”

  * Andrew sits in a darkened room in his apartment watching the news on TV.



Anchor: “Ammon troops have attacked Gilboan troops at the border, it’s unclear if this is an official declaration of war.”

The door opens, flooding the room with light, and Chloe enters, “Hey you want dinner, or something?”

Andrew shuts his eyes and doesn’t say anything.

Chloe turns the light on, “Have you been in the dark the whole time?”

Andrew, “I need to gather an understanding of what’s happening right now, politically, so that I can guide my publication in the right direction.” He stares down at the heroic image of David in Damascus.

Chloe, “Okay, but seriously, you want dinner?”

Andrew lays down the tablet. He stands, up and turns to face Chloe.

Chloe, “I’m thinking enchiladas.”

Andrew, “We should have a baby.”

Chloe, “Like, right now?”

Andrew, “Is that possible?”

Chloe, “Shit, I dunno, I had my period two weeks ago! I think it takes a little longer to shake another egg down.”

Andrew sighs, “You should get some ovulation tests. I want to be a father.”

Chloe, “Thought we’d wait a little longer, but, okay. Do you like the name Florence?”

Andrew, “No.”

Chloe, “Well, there's a lot of other baby names out there. I’ll have to start looking! But first, I’m gonna have dinner!”

Andrew, “You go have dinner, I need to think for a little while longer.”

Chloe, “Sure, I’ll leave some in the oven.” She turns around and leaves. The door closes, and Andrew sits back down.

  * Silas sits in the council chamber, surrounded by military advisors, watching David’s video on a tablet, “What the hell is this? What is Shepherd doing with this? He’s just giving away his location!”



Abner: “He’s back in Gilboa. We can take him out.”

Silas: “He wants to fight.”

Abner: “Then we’ll fight him.”

Silas: “He’s got to be nearby. I want aerial surveillance of the area, focusing on any places that can potentially be hideouts. Once we identify where Shepherd is, we’ll take him out.”

  * Isaiah instructs AFG soldiers as they carefully lay land mines out in the entrance of a path between two craggy mountains. Higher up, David overlooks the scene, Shay and Jack behind him.



David: “Put gunmen there, and there, we’ll fire on anyone who tries to come up. With the caves, we’ll be well-protected if they try to bomb us.”

Shay nods, “All right, I’ll go get everyone into position.” She leaves.

Jack: “Okay, now that we’re here, how are we going to get out of here?”

David: “There’s several ways out, we can take all of them. Monique, Abby, and Asher are going back up to Shiloh, they’ll set up networks to get us moving north. Until then, this is the right place to set up a stronghold.”

Jack: “Are we going to Shiloh to overthrow my dad or to fight the Amalekites?”

David: “Whichever one comes first.”

  * A military aide approaches Silas, carrying a piece of paper, “Sir, it looks like we’ve found Shepherd.”



Silas takes the paper, “Send the army. And tell them I’m coming.”

  * Sunset in the desert. AFG soldiers mill around their positions on the mountain, chilling out on the rocks, chewing bubblegum. Shay listens to a man’s voice over the radio, “ _Coordinates received, on the move now_.”



She calls over to David, “They’re coming!”

  * Silas and Abner drive in a humvee towards the fight.



Abner, uneasily, “Jack and Michelle are going to be there. I can order that caution be taken, but I can’t guarantee they’ll be safe.”

Silas doesn’t say anything. It’s almost completely dark, and the sky is stained with deep pink and blue. Ahead, the Sierra Nevada mountains loom majestically, the scenery not unlike that near Temperance. Silas peers out the window, eyes scanning the distance. He spots something.

Silas, “Stop!”

Abner, “What?”

Silas, “Stop the car!”

The humvee pulls to a side at the side of the road, and Silas gets out. He stares at something, amazed, and walks a distance away from the road.

Abner gets out and follows him, “Silas?!”

Silas raises a hand to silence him, and point. Two elk, one a majestic male with enormous horns, and a smaller, delicate female, graze on a patch of shrubbery.

Abner, slightly confused, “It’s a beautiful sight, but we have to get going.” Without saying anything, Silas takes the gun from his hip holster. He raises it, aims, and shoots. The male elk falls dead, and the female tries to run. Silas shoots again, and she falls.

Abner, “Silas?!”

Silas, “God has His sacrifice. He will protect Jack and Michelle.”

  * ([“On Jordan’s Stormy Banks” Catherine Shaw and Andrew Yee (24:30-27:12](https://www.nonesuch.com/journal/listen-caroline-shaw-attacca-quartet-andrew-yee-perform-wnyc-dolly-parton-america-podcast-2019-12-02)) Up the mountain, David yells, “Get into position!” Soldiers scramble to get positioned behind boulders, crags, and other places where they can fire down on the approaching army. Ryan looks down from the scope of a sniper rifle. Adam nervously peers over a grenade launcher. The Gilboan army reaches the hideout.



Shay, from her position, “Open fire!”

The AFG soldiers fire down at the Gilboan soldiers. The Gilboan soldiers do their best to fire back, but the AFG soldiers are well-protected. Gilboans launch rockets towards the AFG, but still, they’re protected behind the rocks. Isaiah aims a rocket launcher and starts sending his own rockets back. David and Jack fire guns from the highest position on the mountain. A vehicle tries to go up the mountain pass, but a landmine explodes underneath them.

o A short distance away, Silas watches the battle, explosions reflected in the lenses of his glasses.

o Up in his position, Jack continues to fire down at the Gilboans.

He yells back at David, “They aren’t retreating!”

David: “They have to! We put too many landmines in the pass! We’re hitting them, but they aren’t hitting us! Just keep firing!”

A little bit further down, an AFG soldier gets shot, and Michelle and another medic run in to take him back into a cave where he can be treated.

o Slightly away from the battle, Abner speaks to Silas, “They’re well-protected and they aren’t backing down. It looks like they’ve set up for a siege, we may have to last them out.”

Silas: “Pull our men back. Send in the javelins.”

o Shay, still raining gunfire down at the Gilboans, pauses her fighting, and watches the fight. The gunfire from the Gilboans is lessened, and seems to be dying off.

Shay speaks into her radio, “I think they’re starting to retreat.”

David looks up at the sky: the stars shine brilliantly, calm against the chaos below. David suddenly realizes what’s going to happen.

He grabs his radio, “Cease fire! Cease fire! Everyone, get into the caves, and go as far back into them as you can, NOW!”

Jack stops firing, “What?”

David: “They’re gonna bomb us!”

Soldiers run past David and Jack, into the caves hidden in the crags of the mountain. David ushers Jack into a cave. As soon as they’re a good distance inside, an explosion booms outside the mouth of the cave. David drops his gun and grabs Jack, shielding him. Bomb after bomb falls onto the mountain, but the AFG members are safe, huddled in the caves.

o At camp, Silas watches everything, light form the explosions intermittently flickering over his face.

o In their cave, the explosions stop. Jack raises his head, David still clinging to him.

He pulls on David’s arm, “Let go.”

David: “You’re not going back out there!”

Jack: “I’m not!” He grabs a flashlight, and shines it at the other soldiers, who squint at the bright light.

Jack: “Everyone okay? Anyone injured?” He looks over at the soldiers, no injuries.

Jack: “Good.” He shines the light back at David, and says, quietly, “You all right?”

David, nods, “Y-yeah.”

Jack puts a hand on David’s arm, “You’re shaking.”

David doesn’t respond, he pulls his radio out and speaks into it, his voice shaking a little bit, “I-is everyone still there? Shay, Joel, do you copy?”

Joel: “I copy.”

Shay: “We need a medic in the western cave, we have some injuries.”

o In the cave where they’ve been taking the wounded, Michelle works frantically on a badly wounded AFG soldier.

Another medic speaks up, “Lieutenant Benjamin, you’re needed in the western cave!”

Michelle: “I’m working here!”

The medic goes over to her, “There’s nothing you can do. Go.”

Michelle looks at him, distraught, but then grabs a medic pack and heads to the mouth of the cave. There she hesitates, and speaks into a radio, “Is it safe to go out?”

David: “You’re nearby. Run.”

Michelle sprints from one cave to the other. She reaches the cave where Shay stands at the entrance. Shay leads her to five injured soldiers inside the cave. Michelle sets up a light and starts working.

o At camp, Silas looks up, “Send in a few more waves. We’ll clean them up in the morning.”

o Another wave of bombs rains down on the caves. Michelle stops working and covers her head. David clings tightly to Jack.

  * Daybreak. Everyone still huddles in the caves, exhausted and dirty. A scout hurries out and looks over at the position of the Gilboan army. He speaks into his radio, “They’re still in position!” David and Jack listen in.



Jack: “Shit.”

David: “This is good. This means we can hold them off. We can start moving some people out of the mountains while we continue to fight.” He gets up, and peers out of the cave, at the bright morning around him.

He speaks into his radio, “Joel, start moving your unit north. We’ll have a transport meet you at a safe location, you can get up to Iggy’s.”

Joel answers: “Copy.”

Michelle speaks into her radio, “We have some wounded we need to move out.”

David: “Any critical?”

Michelle: “The critical all died. We have a couple who can’t walk, but can be moved.”

David: “Okay, get them out first. Everyone else, get back into position, in case the army comes back.”

  * In his shitty apartment, Amal wakes up next to the female follower from before, and another female follower on his other side. Immediately, he grabs a TV remote and turns a TV on. A news program flashes images of the fight between Silas’s army and the AFG. Amal sits up, and the women groan and stir.



A delighted smile breaks across Amal’s face, “See, I knew this would happen! Shepherd would go to the compound, and then Silas would figure out where Shepherd was, and attack him! Now they’re both stuck fighting each other! Today’s a good day! Maybe one will kill the other! Maybe they’ll both kill each other!”

  * Gilboan soldiers continue to fire in vain up at the AFG positions.



Silas watches, Abner behind him, “Goddamnit, Shepherd knows what he’s doing.”

Abner: “There are other passes into the mountains. We can try sending some units through them.”

Silas: “No, they’re too narrow, and Shepherd will see them coming! There needs to be one quick, swift way to take him out!”

Abner: “How could you do that?”

Silas: “Just like I took out Achison. I’m gonna take Shepherd out myself.”

Abner: “What?!” Silas goes back into a tent, and grabs a gun and a big-ass knife.

He goes back out, and Abner tries to stop him, “Silas, you aren’t twenty-five anymore!”

Silas: “I still know how to fight! I’m going to get my children and my kingdom back! God delivered Nicolas to me, and he will deliver Shepherd to me, too!”

He marches off. Abner tries to think of something to say, but he knows he can’t stop Silas.

Silas follows a narrow path up the mountain, up towards where David is hiding.

  * A scout looks down on the path, and sees Silas approaching.



They speak into their radio, “Uh, General Shepherd? I think you should see something.”

From his position, David looks down with a pair of binoculars, “Silas is coming up.”

Jack: “What?!”

David hands him the binoculars, “Look for yourself.”

Jack takes a look, “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Dad, you should be smarter than this!” He speaks into his radio, “Shay, get up here, bring some soldiers. Dad’s coming.”

David: “This is what he did with Nicholas Achison. He thinks he’s gonna cut my head off and put it on his shelf.”

Jack: “Yeah, well, he’s been wrong about plenty of shit before.”

David: “I have to meet him by myself.”

Jack: “No! You are not doing this shit again!”

David: “That’s why I’m gonna wait for Shay to get here. You stay here.”

  * Silas approaches the wide mouth of a cave. The sun shines inside, showing a wall decorated with colorful petroglyphs.



Silas smiles, “God is good to me!” He goes in.

  * David walks calmly down the path towards the cave, Shay and a unit of soldiers behind him.



David: “He’s gonna be armed. If we all rush him, he’s gonna fire and probably hit someone. So I’m gonna be the one to approach him. If he tries something, that’s when you come in.”

Shay: “Got it.”

David reaches the cave. He takes his gun out, and quietly approaches. Shay holds her gun out in front of her. David sees Silas. Sunlight glints off of Silas’s knife, and the gun in his hand is visible. David puts his gun back in its holster. Quietly he goes up to Silas, and grabs his arm. Silas spins around, and David knocks him back. They fight. David manages to disarm Silas. He grabs the knife, and throws it out of grabbing distance. Silas looks up at David, on his knees. David points Silas’s gun straight at his head.


	26. S4, E1: The Temple Roof

**“The Temple Roof”**

David points the gun straight at Silas’s head, and Silas can only gawk up at him helplessly.

David: “Shay Mendoza taught me that move. She’s my lieutenant general. She’s fucking good, and she, along a unit of AFG soldiers, is waiting for you just outside the entrance. So don’t try any stupid shit.”

Silas: “You aren’t the first person to point a gun at my head.”

David: “Yeah, well, this time, it’s your gun, and I’ve got you unarmed, so I’d be careful about what I say.”

Silas: “Why don’t you just kill me?”

David wavers slightly, but keeps the gun at Silas’s head, “I’m tired of people dying.”

Silas: “You’re leading an army during a time of war, and you’re tired of people dying?”

David pushes the gun up against Silas’s forehead, “I said I’m tired of people dying, I didn’t say I’m not willing to kill you.”

Silas: “What do you want, David?”

David: “ _General Shepherd_!”

Silas, quietly and full of resentment, “General Shepherd.”

David steps back slightly: “The Gilboan Army needs to lay off the AFG and fight the Amalekites instead.”

Silas: “You _are_ the Amalekites!”

David: “Jesus fucking Christ, Silas, do you really think I’d be telling you to destroy my own group? If the Amalekites aren’t stopped, there won’t be a Gilboa for either of us to be king of!”

Silas: “So what are you telling me to do?”

David: “I’m gonna take you back to where your army is camped, and you’re going to tell them that they’re no longer going to pursue the AFG, and instead, you’re going to fight the Amalekites. In return, the AFG will fight the Amalekites with you, and I won’t blow your fucking brains out.”

Silas stares up at David for a moment, “Will Jack and Michelle return home?”

David: “That’s up to them, but I wouldn’t count on it. You don’t have any room to negotiate here, Silas.”

Silas: “All right. I’ll do it. But I have one question.”

David: “What?”

Silas: “What happens when we defeat the Amalekites? Do we just start fighting again?”

David: “That depends on whether or not you stand by your word. If you fight us instead of the Amalekites, the AFG will be in Shiloh. We will overthrow you, and show you no mercy. If you cooperate, you won’t be harmed. Even when I’m king.”

Silas: “I’m a man of honor. I won’t go back on my word.”

David nods, “All right. Get up.” Silas rises to his feet.

David takes his radio and talks into it, keeping the gun pointed at Silas, “Silas and I are coming out. We’ve made an agreement.”

David motions towards the front of the cave, “Come on.” Silas walks forward, David behind him. They exit, and blink in the sudden bright sunlight. Shay and a group of soldiers point their guns at Silas, dumbfounded.

David: “The Gilboan Army and the AFG are going to fight the Amalekites together. Silas has agreed to this,” he looks over at Silas, “Haven’t you?”

Silas nods, “I have.”

David: “Come on, we’re going to go tell your troops.”

  * David points Silas back through the narrow pass through the mountains, out to where Abner and the Gilboan army wait. When Silas emerges with David and the AFG behind him, soldiers draw their weapons.



Silas: “At ease!”

Abner: “What the fuck is this?!”

David: “Tell them.”

Silas: “The Gilboan Army and the AFG are going to fight the Amalekites together.”

David steps forward, “We are both dedicated to protecting the people of Gilboa. The Amalekites only seek to destroy. We will stop fighting each other, and unite to stop true evil.”

Silas rolls his eyes, “Pack up. We’re going back to Shiloh.”

  * Andrew sits in his living room, watching three talking heads argue on cable news.



Talking head 1: “By emerging from that cave holding king Silas’s gun, Shepherd has shown incredible mercy and a true concern for the people of Gilboa!”

Talking head 2: “He messed up! All along, he’s been saying that his only goal is to overthrow King Silas. He had his opportunity, and he blew it!”

Head 1: “This is beyond petty politics and who should be king! This is about the well-being of a nation!”

Head 2: “All along, there have been serious questions about Shepherd’s ability to follow through with the action he promises. This is just another example of how he’s fallen short as a leader.”

Head 1: “This was an incredible power move! Shepherd is the one in control!”

Head 3: “What I want to know is what happened in that cave? Did they fight?”

Head 1: “How else could Shepherd have gotten hold of Silas’s gun? He’s put his ego aside and has put the people of Gilboa first! David Shepherd was born to be king!”

Andrew rubs his forehead, “Chloe! Get me King Warner!”

  * David sits with Shay, Isaiah, Michelle, and Jack in a cave. Soldiers pack up and move out behind them.



David: “I made the right decision, right?”

Isaiah: “You got Silas answering to us, man. I say you did the right thing.”

Michelle: “All I’m going to say is that Silas is incredibly fucking lucky that it was you instead of me or Jack in that cave.”

Jack nods, “She’s right.”

David looks at Shay, “What do you say?”

Shay: “You’re the one who made the decision to let Silas go, and now it’s our job to answer to that. I can’t say that I would have made the same decision as you did, but, I understand why you made it, and I respect it.”

David: “But was it the right decision?”

Shay shrugs, “I can’t say. We need to figure out what we’re gonna do now.”

David: “We’re gonna go meet up with Joel at Iggy’s. Asher and Abby are gonna go there, and we’re gonna talk with them. And then we’re gonna figure out the next step of stopping the Amalekites.”

  * Reinhardt, Abner, and other ministers and officers sit in the council chamber, heatedly talking among themselves.



Reinhardt speaks to Abner, “So you just fucking let him wander off?”

Abner, “What was I supposed to do?!”

Reinhardt, “Get in front of him and try talking some fucking sense into him!”

Abner, “You know Silas! You know that once he’s made up his mind, nothing will change it!”

Reinhardt, “Then how did Shepherd change his mind? Did he use some kind of alien brain swap ray?”

Abner, “He put a gun to his head!”

Reinhardt, “Why didn’t you go with him? Why didn’t you send a team?!”

Thomasina enters the chamber. Everyone stops arguing and looks at her.

Thomasina, “King Silas will not be coming today. He has decided he needs time alone to think.” The counsellors shake their heads and mutter.

Reinhardt, to Thomasina, “So what are we supposed to do? The AFG has requested a liaison!”

Thomasina, “So pick one. King Silas must not be bothered.”

  * In Reinhardt’s office, Reinhardt talks to Frank, “I need to know exactly how the AFG received its intel.”



Frank, “I thought you wanted nothing to do with it.”

Reinhardt, “I need to know what to hide.”

Frank, “This isn’t exactly what we wanted-”

Reinhardt, “Do not say ‘we!’ When Shepherd tells Silas where he got his intel, there will be no ‘we!’”

Frank, “Shepherd isn’t going to give up his secrets.”

Reinhardt, “Yeah, but the liaison we send just might!”

Frank, “I know the perfect person to send.”

  * In his office, Silas stews over the image of him and David together, David pointing a gun at him. There’s a soft knock at the door.



Silas, “I said not to bother me!”

The door open, and Seth appears behind it, “Dad?”

Silas immediately softens, “Yes, puppy?”

Seth, “Can I talk to you?”

Silas, “Come sit.”

Seth enters and sits down in a chair across from Silas.

Silas, “What do you want?”

Seth, “What happened?”

Silas, “What happened when?”

Seth, “With David Shepherd. You said he was a bad guy, but now you’re making deals with him.”

Silas sighs heavily, “Shepherd and I agreed that we’d join forces to fight an even bigger bad guy.”

Seth, “Alek Amal.”

Silas, “Yes, Alek Amal.”

Seth, “Last week you said that David and Alek Amal were the same person.”

Silas sighs deeply, and thinks for a moment, “It turns out I was wrong about that.”

Seth, “What else have you been wrong about?”

Silas, “I’m usually right.”

Seth, “So… if David stops Alek Amal and the Amalekites, does that make him a good person?”

Silas, “It won’t undo taking away Jack and Michelle.”

Seth, “He didn’t take them. They chose to leave. That’s what Mom said.”

Silas, “Has she told you things about Shepherd?”

Seth, “Not really. I just met him that one time, and… he was really nice, then. It’s kind of hard to imagine him as a really scary bad guy the way you say he is.”

Silas, “That’s why he’s so damn scary. He makes you think he’s wonderful and then he’ll stab you in the back.”

Seth, “Is that what he did to you?”

Silas, “Right away, my gut told me he was trouble, but everyone around me fell for him. I should have trusted my gut, sent him back to the front, where he’d be sure to die a hero, but he charmed me and fooled me just like he did your siblings.”

Seth, “Michelle said that you lied to her.”

Silas, “Have you been watching the news?”

Seth, “You say I should be knowledgeable about current events.”

Silas, “I don’t want you watching the news, Seth. There’s nothing good on the news.”

Seth, “But what about current events? A king needs to be knowledgeable about current events.”

Silas, “I don’t want you to be worried about being king. You aren’t going to be king for a very long time. I want you to be happy, and get better. Watching the news isn’t going to help with either of those.”

Seth, “I see Jack and Michelle on the news. I want to know what they’re doing.”

Silas, “I can tell you what they’re doing. I get intelligence reports about them. I can share those with you.”

Seth, “But I want to actually see them.”

Silas, “I’m sorry that they chose David Shepherd over you.”

Seth, “That’s not true. They left before I came here.”

Silas, dismayed, “What are you trying understand here, Seth?”

Seth, “Why did you say David was the Amalekites when you knew he wasn’t?”

Silas, “I thought he was.” Seth looks at Silas, confused.

Silas, “What, you don’t believe me?”

Seth sits quietly for a moment, hesitating, and then says, “I do.”

  * A car drives up to a massive drug dealer mansion in the middle of a lush California redwood forest. Inside, David sits in the front passenger seat, Iggy in the driver’s seat, Jack, Michelle, and Shay in the back.



Iggy: “Welcome to Chez Iggy!”

Jack: “Nice!”

Shay, gawking: “Fuck me.”

David, looking concerned, “How do the authorities not immediately figure out that you’re a drug dealer?”

Iggy: “It’s called money laundering, bro! As far as the feds are concerned, I’m in the wholesale grocery importation business!”

Michelle: “Why was your ranch such a dump?”

Iggy: “I don’t shit where I eat! Casa del Iggy is for business, Chez Iggy is purely for pleasure!”

  * Massive rager inside, everyone is blowing off steam, with loud music. Joel and Asher go up and greet everyone.



David, unenthused: “What the fuck.”

Asher: “Emma Goldman once said, ‘If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be a part of your revolution.’”

Joel: “No she didn’t. If this deal with Silas is supposed to be a victory, we’re gonna treat it like one. Monique calls it controlling the narrative.”

Asher: “People are just glad to be out of Ammon and staying some place nice. We’re blowing off steam.”

Jack shrugs, “If you’re staying at a drug dealer’s place, might as well party. Can’t argue with that.”

Shay: “Is Wednesday here?”

Joel: “Yeah, she’s somewhere.”

Shay: “Awesome!” Shay goes off looking for Wednesday.

Michelle: “What about Abby? Where is she?”

Joel: “In the pool house, trying to analyze some intel.”

A cooked lobster lands on Asher’s head. He pulls it off and turns to the crowd, “Hey, that shit’s not kosher, man! Shellfish is not kosher!”

David sighs, “I’m tired.”

  * David lays on a massive, luxe king size bed, staring up at the ceiling. Bass pounds through the walls.



Jack rustles around in the walk-in closet, “Yes! Versace!” He grabs another shirt, goes out and throws it at David, “Put this on, babe, you’ll feel better!”

David looks at it, “What is it?”

Jack: “It’s Prada!”

David tosses the shirt aside, “Maybe later.”

Jack looks over at David in concern, “You all right?”

David: “Just tired.”

Jack goes over to a window and looks out over the forest outside, “Y’know, we can go out, find some place quiet. Iggy said something about a stream nearby.”

David: “Can’t I just rest?”

Jack: “You are not going to be able to rest here. Come on, I’m taking you on a date!”

David: “Fine.” 

  * Redwood nature porn. Jack and David sit on the bank of a rolling stream. David looks around and appreciates the beauty.



Jack: “See, I told you, this would be nice!”

David: “Yeah, okay, this is pretty nice. It feels good to be somewhere beautiful again.”

Jack: “Hey, if you ask me, nature is boring as shit. But I can tell you need it. You’ve been through some shit.”

David grimaces, “I keep telling myself I’m doing the right thing here, but I can’t get myself to feel it.”

Jack: “That’s what happens when you spend too long in combat.”

David: “We can’t let up on the Amalekites. If we can stop another attack, we need to do it.”

Jack: “I didn’t say we have to let up. You just need to think about yourself every once and a while.”

David: “When my dad would come home from the front, he’d spend days in bed. Mom always said he was resting. I always wondered why he didn’t want to spend time with me and my brothers. I’m kind of starting to understand it, now.”

Jack: “See, all I had was Dad,” he puts on a mocking voice, “‘ _Uh, lemme tell you about the time I got shot, lemme tell you about the time I got stabbed_ ,'” he goes back to his normal voice, “He had every imaginable combat injury short of getting his dick blown off, and he loved to talk about all of them.”

David: “That is not normal.”

Jack: “I know, right?!” he laughs, “Since joining you, I’ve come to appreciate what a freak my dad is. Sometimes I even wonder why I ever wanted his approval in the first place.”

David: “Because he’s your dad.”

Jack: “He and Uncle William were the ones who controlled my perspective on the world. Them, and Reggie. Once I caught even just the tiniest glimpse of something else, I knew everything they’d told me was wrong. I’m glad I got out. I’m glad you got me out.”

David can’t help but smile a little bit.

  * Amal rings a customer up, “That’ll be $54.25.”



Customer: “These were on sale last week.”

Amal: “We had a sale last weekend, but it’s over, now.”

Customer: “Are you sure?”

Amal: “Yes.”

Customer: “The discount should still apply.”

Amal, eyes cold and dead: “The sale ended.”

Customer: “Can I speak with your manager, please?”

Amal, through gritted teeth, goes over and calls, “Susan! A customer would like to speak to you!”

Susan goes over to the cash register, followed by Amal, “Yes?”

The customer holds up her shoes, “These were on sale last week! They should still have a discount!”

Susan, smiling pleasantly, “The sale is over, so they’re back to full price.”

The customer sniffs, “Oh, well, I think I have a coupon.” She takes an absurd amount of time to rummage through her purse and find her wallet. She opens her wallet and takes even more time to rifle through it. Other customers pile up in line behind her.

Customer: “Oh, I must have left it at home! Can I still use it?”

Amal: “No, you have to actually give us the coupon to get the discount. That’s generally how coupons work.”

Customer: “I have it, it’s just at home!” Amal internally screams for murder.

Susan: “You have to present it to get the discount.”

Customer: “Well, if you insist.” She gets out a credit card and hands it to Amal, “Here.”

Amal tries to scan the card, but it doesn’t go through.

Amal: “Hang on a sec.”

Customer, jokingly: “If it doesn’t scan, it must be free!”

Amal looks up at her with burning hatred in his eyes and a huge false smile on his face, “You’re a really funny person, aren’t you?”

Susan takes the card and swipes it again. It goes through.

Susan: “Thank you, have a nice day!”

The customer leaves.

Susan, “Greg, when you’re done with these customers, I’d like to speak with you.”

o In the break room, Susan rails at Amal, “What have I told you about being polite to customers?”

Amal inhales deeply, and looks down at the ground in deep contemplation for a moment. He looks back up, and his demeanor has changed. He is eerily sincere, “I’m sorry, Susan, I’ve been pretty stressed out lately, and I guess it’s been affecting me at work. The situation with the Amalekites has me very worried.”

Susan softens a little bit, “Yeah, no kidding, I’m scared of them, too. That Amal guys is scary. But it’s not an excuse. You have to stay professional at all times.”

Amal, “I know, and I’m doing my best to stay positive.”

Susan nods empathetically, “All right, well, get back to work. If your attitude shows up again, you’re fired.” She turns around and exits. Amal’s polite face immediately reverts to one of hatred.

  * That night, Rose sits by a roaring fire, wearing a peignoir and holding a glass of red wine. Silas comes into the room.



Rose: “Silas, I’d like to talk to you.”

Silas grimaces and sits down, “What is it?”

Rose: “Why are you now answering to Shepherd?”

Silas: “I thought he was hiding in a cave, and I went in to find him, and he pointed a gun at me.”

Rose: “What could possibly make you go into a cave by yourself?”

Silas: “God told me to.”

Rose inhales sharply: “When Satan tempted Jesus out in the desert, Satan told him to jump from the roof of a temple, for surely angels would keep him safe.”

Silas: “And Jesus replied, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’ I know my Bible.”

Rose: “If God isn’t going to protect his own son from being an idiot, he’s not going to protect you. What are you going to do about Shepherd?”

Silas: “I can’t go back on my word. I’ve met with my advisors, and we’ve made a plan. I’m not divesting any resources from the fronts at Ammon and Gath. Shepherd will be the one fighting the Amalekites, not us.”

Rose: “He’s going to end up being a hero again! You can hand Shepherd a giant shit sandwich, and he’ll find a way to look handsome and heroic while eating it!”

Silas: “Do you really think I don’t know that?!”

Rose: “Shepherd is younger and faster than you, but he’s not smarter than you.”

Silas: “The AFG has requested a liaison. Someone who can keep them in communication with the army and coordinate efforts. I can send someone who will ensure that Shepherd won’t succeed with anything.”

Rose goes quiet, and sips her wine, “It’s not enough, Silas. You have to look like a hero again.”

Silas: “Are you saying I should run into another cave?”

Rose: “You need to be the one who puts an end to the Amalekites, not Shepherd.”

Silas: “Gilboa’s resources were stretched thin before the first attack ever happened. I don’t know where I’m going to find what I need to create the kind of intelligence program that can be used to find out who the Amalekites are. Nobody even knows who the leader of the Amalekites is!”

Rose: “If you can’t, or won’t, fight the Amalekites, you can at least look like you’re doing something.”

Silas: “I’ll find something. In the meantime, I’ll do what I can to make sure Shepherd is slowed down."

  * David, Shay, Jack, Michelle, and Abby stand waiting outside of Chez Iggy.



A car with Gilboan flags drives up, and Frankie Hatch, wearing a Gilboan army uniform, gets out, “Abby!”

Abby, “Oh, fuck.”

David looks at her, “What?”

Abby: “Silas sent my fucking brother!”

Jack: “Frankie Hatch?”

Abby: “Yes.”

Frankie comes up to David, “You must be General Shepherd!”

David shakes his hand, “Pleased to meet you, um…”

Frankie: “Major Franklin Hatch, Jr., but call me Frankie. I’ve been sent to be the Gilboan Army’s liaison to the AFG.”

David, “Okay, well, this is my lieutenant general, Shay Mendoza.”

Frankie waves at her, “Sup!”

He looks at Jack, “Nice to see you again, Jack!”

Jack, curtly, “Frankie.”

Frankie looks over at Michelle, “Woah, Abby, you’re working with Princess Michelle?!” He turns to Michelle, “You know Abby had the biggest crush on you when she was a kid?!”

Abby: “Frankie!”

Frankie: “She put pictures of you up all over her walls. Told our parents she liked your fashion, but we all know you never liked fashion, did you, Abby?”

Michelle gives Frankie a contemptuous look and puts and arm around Abby, “Yeah, well, we’re a couple now, and we had sex this morning. So you can fuck right off.”

Frankie, “Holy shit, seriously?!”

Abby takes a deep breath, huffs, and raises her head, “What intel does the Gilboan Army have on the Amalekites, Major Hatch?”

Frankie: “We haven’t got shit! I was hoping you’d give us something.”

Abby: “Then let’s meet inside and discuss things.”

o Everyone goes inside. Jack pulls David and Shay aside into a hallway.

Jack: “Okay, full disclosure, I maaaay have sucked his dick on a training mission.”

David: “What?!”

Jack: “It was before I met you, it happened just once, and it was on a training mission! Everyone knows that if it happens on a training mission, it doesn’t count!”

Shay, nostalgically: “I used to get mad straight girl ass on training missions.”

David: “Is he any good at what he does?”

Shay: “I’m honestly not sure what he does. Jack and I both earned our ranks. Frankie Hatch got every single one of his promotions because of his dad.”

David: “So Silas sent the worst person he could possibly send to help us. This was a deliberate move,” he rubs his forehead, “Christ, I’m an idiot!”

Jack: “Hey, don’t say that! Frankie’s a moron, but he’ll do what we say. If we’re careful, we might just be able to trick him into doing something smart.”

o In a seating area, Abby sits with Frankie. David, Shay, and Jack join him.

Abby shows Frankie stuff on a computer, “All right, our networks in Shiloh have identified several potential hideout locations. We don’t have the resources needed to take them all out at once, but with the Gilboan army and the Shiloh PD, they can be taken out.”

Frankie: “So what do you want me to do?”

Abby: “Take this shit back to the army, dumbass!”

Frankie: “I know I’m supposed to take it back to the army, I just wanted to know if there’s anything else you want me to do with it.”

David: “Our biggest goal right now is to identify Alek Amal. We can’t stop him if we don’t know who he is.”

Frankie: “Okay,” he keeps staring at David.

David, awkwardly, “Do you think you can do that?”

Frankie: “Yeah, no problem, it’s just, sorry, I’ve seen your face in so many places, it’s weird to finally be seeing it in real life.”

David: “Send the hideout locations to whoever your bosses are. I want to see them being taken out. And I want to know what action the Gilboan Army and Shiloh PD is going to be making. There needs to be communication.”

Frankie: “I’ll keep you updated on everything. Seriously, man, you’re doing the right thing here, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

  * Abby leads Frankie towards the front door. Frankie opens it, and turns to Abby, “Mom and Dad say hello, by the way.”



Abby, skeptically: “Do they really?”

Frankie: “Well, Mom does. I’m not sure what Dad says.”

Abby: “Can you do me a favor?”

Frankie: “What?”

Abby: “Don’t tell Mom and Dad about Michelle. I’ve got something good in my life and I don’t want them trying to interfere with it.”

Frankie: “Sure thing. You take it easy, Abby.”

Abby: “You, too.” Frankie leaves.

  * Several different abandoned buildings around Shiloh. A Shiloh PD SWAT team approaches one. The burst the door open and go inside. In one, an Amalekite opens fire, and gets gunned down. In another, the SWAT team moves into a room, where a crying young woman, Carissa, stands with her hands up, a bomb strapped to her chest.



SWAT leader: “Don’t move!”

Carissa, softly, “I want to surrender.”

SWAT leader: “Slowly, take the bomb off.”

Carissa nods, and carefully begins unstrapping her vest. She takes the bomb off and sets it on the ground. SWAT team members rush her, and take her away.

Upstairs, a faint female voice, “Help! They’ve got me up here!” SWAT members go upstairs.

Carissa, “No!”

Upstairs, the young woman who met Amal at the mall is rushed by SWAT members, and blows herself up.

  * At the mall, Amal gets a message on his phone. He looks at it, and puts it back in his pocket. He thinks calmly for a moment, and then a small, evil smile grows over his face.




	27. S4, E2: At The Mall

**“At The Mall"**

Carissa sits in an interrogation room across from Reinhardt, Frankie, and an interrogator.

Tearfully, she explains, “He never gave me a name other than Alek Amal. H-he said that if I wanted to die, I could die in a way that would mean something.”

Reinhardt: “Wait, if you wanted to die?”

Carissa: “I’m bi-polar. I’ve been struggling with depression for a long time. I’ve tried suicide before, but I was never successful. I made some posts about it, and Amal contacted me. He said that I could use my death to make other people’s lives better.”

Frankie: “Shiiiit- that’s fucked up.”

Reinhardt: “Did he ever tell you about any other planned attacks?”

Carissa: “I- I don’t know if he has a plan. He just makes attacks.”

Frankie: “We need to get my sister here. She’s the one who knows what questions we need to ask.”

Reinhardt: “She can ask questions over the phone.”

Frankie: “No way, she needs to be here!”

Interrogator: “It’ll be more trouble than it’s worth.”

Frankie: “Not if we can save some lives!”

Reinhardt sighs, “Hatch is right. We’ll get them here.”

  * A car pulls up outside the MSS building, and Abby, David and Shay get out. They stare up at the building.



David: “Never thought I’d be back here again.”

Abby: “They have an Amalekite who surrendered and is talking. We need to do this.”

Shay: “Joel and I made up an extraction plan in case anything happens. Shit goes south, just message Jack, he’ll come get us.” They go inside.

  * Frankie and Reinhardt stand in the lobby, waiting for them. Everyone else stops and stares.



Reinhardt, “Welcome back… Do I have to call you General?”

David, “Only if I have to call you Director.”

Abby, “What do you have for us?”

Reinhardt leads David, Shay, and Abby down a hallway. Heads still turn and people gawk.

David mutters to Abby, “We shouldn’t be here. Everyone here was trying to kill us three days ago.”

Abby: “We’re the only people who know what questions to ask.”

Reinhardt leads them into an interrogation room where Carissa sits.

Carissa, nervously, “Holy shit.”

David sits down, and everyone else follows, “Look, I don’t want you to be afraid of anything. We’ve been looking for someone like you to talk to ever since we heard the word Amalekite. The AFG is prepared to do anything we have to in order to protect you.”

Carissa: “I’m not afraid of dying. I just don’t want anyone to hurt because of me.”

David, “If you tell us everything you know about Alek Amal, you can save a lot of lives.”

Carissa looks over at David, unimpressed, “So I tell you everything and you find Amal. You rush in and do your hero bullshit. What are you going to do after that, pick up your war with Silas again and keep killing?”

Shay: “Do you want to save lives or not?”

Carissa: “I do. I just don’t know if you can.”

David: “Amal told you all this, didn’t you?”

Carissa, “It’s what I thought long before he met me. I get why people are tired of Silas, but replacing a worn out old asshole with a shiny new asshole isn’t going to work.”

Abby: “That’s not the issue at hand here. The issue is stopping the Amalekites. You previously said that you had met with Alek Amal. What did he tell you?”

Carissa: “I talked to a sketch artist, they drew a picture of him.”

Reinhardt opens up a folder and pulls out a sketch of Amal.

David looks at it, “Yeah, that’s him. The mouth is kind of off, though.”

Carissa: “Why are you talking to me if you know what he looks like?”

David: “Because I met with him alone and he only talked bullshit about society falling apart.”

Carissa: “Yeah, that’s kind of his thing.”

Abby: “Did he give away any details that might be used to identify him? Did he allude to his identity, or his current life, or his past?”

Carissa: “I talked to a couple of girls who said they both met him at the Western Mall. I think they’re both dead now. One girl said that he works there. But he never really told me anything.”

Abby, “Western Mall, that’s excellent! We can send policemen over there to start asking questions right away!”

  * Amal stands at the cash register of the shoe department. In a hallway, Susan talks to a police officer. Amal eyes them suspiciously. The police officer shows Susan a piece of paper. Amal leaves the cash register and hurriedly goes back into the employee break room. Two employees sit spring coffee.



One says, “Hey, Greg.” Amal goes to his locker. He takes his phone out and sends a message.

Employee, “Yeah, nice to see you, too.”

Amal pulls a backpack out of his locker and turns to the employees, “Get out of here.”

Employee 2: “We’re entitled to a 15-minute break, just like everyone else.”

Amal plops his backpack down on the table, “That is your fucking decision, then.” He begins taking off his work clothes and putting on a nice three-piece suit (fashion inspiration: Richard Spencer).

Employee 2: “What the fuck, Greg?!”

Amal, “Get the fuck out of here, and you’ll see.”

  * In a safehouse, Joel talks to Abby on the phone while Jack talks to the police on the radio.



Joel: “Jack says an officer is telling him that he’s talking to a woman who says that a guy who works for her looks like the sketch.”

o Abby in the interrogation room, “What’s his name?”

o Joel, in the safehouse, “The police officer?”

o Abby: “The employee!”

Joel turns to Jack, “What’s the employee’s name?”

Jack talks into the radio, “What’s the employee’s name?”

o The police officer, talking to Susan at the mall, “What’s this gentleman’s name, again?”

Susan: “Greg. Greg Johnson. He was just at the cash register.” She looks over and sees the empty register.

o Jack tells Asher, “Greg Johnson.”

o Asher tells Abby, “Greg Johnson.”

Abby instructs Frankie, who has a laptop in front of him, “Look for Greg Johnson.”

Frankie searches, “There’s a few mugshots. Anyone look like him?” He turns the screens to David and Carissa.

o David shakes his head, “No.”

Shay: “Try army records. They’ll be harder to look through, but they’ve got every able-bodied young man in Gilboa.”

o Abby: “Try Greg or Gregory Johnson from Shiloh.”

Frankie searches, and shows the results to David and Carissa.

o Carissa points at a photo: young Amal in a Gilboan army uniform, “That’s him.”

David, “Holy shit, that’s him.”

  * The police officer from earlier stands with Susan and some other employees in front of the break room door.



Officer, “Mr. Johnson, we know you’re in there!”

Amal, fully dressed and groomed neatly, calmly looks at his phone.

Officer, “Mr. Johnson, I’m calling reinforcements, we’re going to have to break this door down!”

o Outside the mall, four Amalekites calmly enter. They go into the shoe department, and one goes down the employee break room hall. He pulls out a gun from underneath a jacket and mows down the employees and the police officer.

o In the room, Amal hears the gunshots, and mutters, “Yes!”

Susan is spared, and runs down towards the dead end of the hallway. Amal unlocks the door and steps out. He looks down, sees the dead employees, the armed Amalekite, and Susan cowering at the end of the hallway.

The Amalekite, “I’m ready to do whatever you tell me.”

Amal looks over at Susan, “By the way, Susan, I’m that Amal guy.” He smiles brightly, pulls a pistol out of his waistband and shoots her, dead.

  * In the interrogation room, a police officer opens the door, “There’s reports of gunshots at Western Mall!”



Reinhardt, “Put together a response unit!”

David turns to Shay, “We have to get there. This isn’t just another stupid rush in scenario, if Amal is there, we can catch him.”

Shay: “ _You_ aren’t doing shit, _I’m_ going in there because I know how to lead a raid.”

Reinhardt, “No you aren’t, this is going to be handled by the MSS!”

David, “It’ll be handled by both of us!”

  * First responders and AFG roar towards the mall. In a mobile command unit, Shay and David talk to the Reinhardt, and get ready.



David: “We’ve got AFG units who are capable of going inside, but we need to know where to go. Shay, you and Jack will both have a unit, I’ll have my own, and if we need backup, we’ll put Joel on one.”

Reinhardt, “That’s not nearly enough, you’ll need more.”

David, “And that’s why your guys are gonna be helping.”

Reinhardt, “I’m going to lead in my own unit!”

David, flatly, “Yeah, so you can fire on us and say it was an accident.”

Reinhardt, “You need uniforms.”

David, “We have jackets! We need someone monitoring the camera feeds and directing us. I think you’d be more than capable.”

Reinhardt, “When you have another moment of heroism, you’d better give me some credit.”

  * Inside the mall, Amalekites shoot at running shoppers. Panicked people rush down packed escalators and trip over each other. An Amalekite tosses a grenade into a crowded candy shop, and it goes off. Amal stands at the top of a railing, overviewing the chaos.



  * In the back of the command unit, a wall of TV screens show the security feed from inside the mall. Shay, David, Reinhardt, and Jack all look over the feeds.



Shay, “Okay, this is what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna lead in my unit, and we’re gonna focus on taking out the shooters. David and Jack, you two each lead a unit in behind us and focus on getting as many people to safety as you can. Have Ryan with a unit outside, ready to go in if we need backup”

Jack nods, “Okay.”

David looks intensely at the screens, “Amal is in there somewhere.”

Shay shows Reinhardt the Army picture of Amal, “You see this guy anywhere on camera, send someone after him.”

Reinhardt, “I will.”

o Shay carefully leads her unit down a hallway.

o In the command unit, Reinhardt watches them on camera, “You got two guys with guns up ahead on the left.”

Shay hides behind a pillar, peers around, and sees the two gunmen. Quietly, she takes aim, and shoots one of them dead. The other spins around, and hurls a grenade in Shay’s direction. Shay ducks, and the Queens behind her open fire.

o David carefully leads a unit through a department store, Adam and Liam behind him, rescuing civilians from their hiding places.

o Jack leads his unit into one storefront, where a group of civilians huddle behind the display.

Jack goes over and gestures for them to follow him, “Come on, it’s safe.”

o In the department store, Adam keeps finding civilians and escorting them to safety.

o Where Shay is, the gunfire stops.

Shay looks around and speaks into her radio, “They still there?”

Reinhardt, “Looks like you got two, there could be more hiding in the camera’s blind spots.”

Shay motions for her unit to follow her and move forward. They creep along walls, looking for any sudden movements.

o Jack escorts a large group of civilians out of a storefront.

o Inside, Michelle and another medic work on getting a wounded person ready to move.

o In the command center, Reinhardt sees a movement on a screen, “Jack, coming at you!”

Jack spins around, and an Amalekite opens fire behind him. The civilians dive for hiding spots, and Jack returns fire. He hides behind a planter and manages to shoot the Amalekite. The wounded Amalekite reaches for something in his pocket, and pulls out a grenade. Jack jumps up and shoots him dead.

Jack, into his headset: “Are there any more?”

Reinhardt, eyeing the screens, “I don’t see any.”

Jack turns to his troops, “C’mon, keep moving. We’ve still got people to get out of here.”

o In her area, Shay exchanges gunfire with three Amalekites hiding in a camera blind spot. The Amalekites dive into a storefront, and a fierce firefight ensues.

o In the department store, David hears the gunfire and turns his head for a moment. Adam looks at him for instruction.

David looks back at him, “Keep going. We need to get people out of here as quickly as possible.” Adam does as he’s told.

David goes into the shoe department and calls out, “If anyone hiding here, I’m with the Army of Free Gilboa, we’re getting people out of here.”

No one emerges. David goes over to the cash register, and looks underneath the counter. A bomb is hidden there.

David: “Shit, we got a bomb underneath the register at the Wilson’s lady’s shoes. Isaiah, you there?”

o Isaiah standing outside, “Yeah?”

o David takes a picture with his phone, “Can you defuse this?”

Isaiah: “What the fuck are you doing taking a picture, get the fuck out of there before that thing is remotely detonated!”

David steps backwards, “Right, but can you defuse it?”

Isaiah: “I don’t have the right safety equipment. I’ve got a signal jammer to keep it from being set off remotely, but I don’t have a suit or anything.”

David: “Yeah, but can you defuse it?”

Isaiah, “Yes.”

Reinhardt, “I can send in a bomb specialist.”

David, “No one you send will be better than Isaiah. Plus, he can get there faster.” David sees the partially-open hallway leading to the employee break room.

He peeks in it, and sees the carnage in the hallway, “Holy shit.”

David, “Isaiah, I’m gonna leave this up to you, but we need to get that thing defused as quickly as possible. It’s on the first floor and there’s still people up on the second floor.”

Isaiah: “All right, I’m coming in.” Isaiah grabs a safety mask from a truck, puts it on, and goes inside.

o Shay continues the fierce firefight with the three Amalekites.

o Jack leads his unit into another storefront. A small child, the only survivor in the storefront, wails beside the body of its mother. Jack goes over and scoops the child up, and takes it out.

o Isaiah sets up his signal jammer and gets to work.

o In their storefront, an Amalekite pulls a grenade out of his pocket, and pulls the pin, he moves to throw it, but gets shot. The grenade goes off, and Shay and the AFG soldiers duck.

Once the smoke clears, Shay looks up, “Targets neutralized. Starting the rescue operation.”

o David, still searching the department store, “Have any of the targets looked anything like Amal?”

o Shay, going over to the smoking storefront, “I don’t know, I can’t tell.”

o David keeps looking for survivors. Amal crouches behind a nearby clothes rack. He pressed furiously on a button on his phone, but nothing happens.

o Isaiah works on defusing the bomb.

o Amal glances nervously over to where David stands between him and the exit. He glances over at the entrance to the mall, trying to formulate an escape plan.

o Isaiah snips a wire and stands up, “The bomb is defused. If there’s any more bombs, I can take them out.”

o David, “Got that.”

Furiously, Amal presses another button on his phone.

o In the mall’s electrical closet, something explodes, and the lights go out. At their various places in the mall, everyone looks around in the sudden darkness.

o In the command truck, the video feed goes black.

Reinhardt, “We lost the feed, what happened?!”

o Shay, helping a wounded person out of a wrecked storefront, “The power’s out!”

o David tenses, sensing that this isn’t a coincidence. Amal presses another button, and a bomb in one of the other department stores goes off.

o Shay looks over at in the direction of the explosion, “Shit! Jack, David, get over to the north anchor store, if there’s an explosion, there might be gunmen!”

o Jack, “I’m still clearing storefronts, if the video feed’s out, I could get ambushed!”

o Reinhardt, “Hitt, send your unit in!”

o Outside, Ryan leads a unit towards the store.

o Shay, “David!”

o David looks around in the darkness, emergency lights forming a harsh spotlight, “I think Amal is around here.”

He takes a few tentative steps forward. He eyes the clothes rack Amal is hiding behind. Amal sees David, and then takes off running towards the mall entrance. David sees him and follows.

David: “Amal is headed towards the mall! Get someone over here!” He fires a few shots towards Amal, but Amal pulls the pistol out of his waistband and fires back.

o They enter the main part of the mall, illuminated with natural light. Two Amalekites come running up to shoot David in defense of Amal, but David manages to shoot them both.

Shay runs towards David’s end of the mall, “Where’s Amal, where’s he going?!” Amal fires a few shots at David, but misses.

o David, “Just follow the gunshots!” He fires at Amal. Up ahead, Amal spots an abandoned coffee on a bench. He grabs it and throws it at the floor. David tries to fire at Amal, but he slips on the spilled coffee and face-plants. Amal smiles triumphantly and turns down a side hallway. Shay arrives and tries to fire at him. Amal pulls a grenade out of his pocket, pulls the pin, and throws it at her. Shay ducks, and it goes off.

o In the explosion, Amal ducks into a service hallway. He calmly walks down the hallway, and sees a group of people huddled.

One of them, a mall employee looks up, “Greg! Oh my god, what the fuck is going on?!”

Amal, acting appropriately scared, “I don’t know, man, but I’m getting people out! Come on, this way is safe!”

The group of people stands up, and Amal leads them down the hallway. They exit through a fire exit. The police rush up and escort them all to safety.

  * Shay looks around the smoking hallway, “I’ve lost Amal!”



David gets to his feet, “What? No, that’s not possible! He was right in front of me!”

Shay, “He’s gone, I don’t know where he went!” She opens the service door and looks down the hallway.

David rushes to join her, “He can’t just disappear!”

  * Outside, Amal gets into a waiting car and is driven away, smirking.



  * That evening, Seth sits in a room, watching the news on TV, a serious look on his face.



A woman reporter narrates, “I’m here outside the Western Mall, where it appears that operations have switched from rescue to recovery. It still hasn’t been confirmed if all civilians have been evacuated, but gunfire and explosions haven’t been heard for several hours, and it’s been a while since any groups of civilians have been seen exiting.”

Helen opens the door of the room, “Hey, Seth, it’s time for dinner,” she catches sight of the TV, “I told you not to be watching the news!” She goes over and turns the TV off.

Seth, “If I’m gonna be king, I have to be knowledgeable about current events.”

Helen, annoyed, “Is that what your father has been telling you?” She puts her hand on Seth’s shoulder, “I don’t want you to be worried about what you see in the news.”

Seth looks up at her like he wants to believe her, but can’t.

  * In his office, Silas watches TV.



A reporter narrates, “Cell phone footage from inside the mall show David Shepherd, Prince Jack, Princess Michelle, and other well-known members of the Army of Free Gilboa fighting the Amalekites and rescuing civilians.”

Footage on TV shows Jack shooting at an Amalekite, Michelle holding up an IV bag as she helps rush a gurney out of the mall. A pained look of deep pride comes over Silas’s face, and he watches, entranced. A knock at the door knocks him out of it, “Yes?”

Thomasina opens the door, “Sir, Queen Rose has told me to tell you that dinner is getting cold.”

Silas, flustered, “No, not right now, I- I have to go to the Western Mall and be seen doing something! And I’m going to bring Seth! Get a press team together, I’m going!”

  * At the palace mall, Helen stands furiously arguing with Silas, who is wearing standard politician-in-a-disaster-zone attire, “He has to eat his dinner, you know that’s a part of his regimen!”



Silas: “He can eat something on the way there, this is a rare opportunity that he needs to be a part of!”

Helen, “He needs stability and a calm environment!”

Silas, “First you were worried about him being too bored, now you’re worried about him being too excited!”

A handler hurries Seth out, now dressed like a mini version of Silas.

Silas beams at him, “Are you ready to go see what being King is like, Seth?”

Seth grimaces, “I don’t feel good.”

Helen immediately kneels by Seth, “What? What’s wrong?”

Seth motions at his chest.

Silas, trying to sound fatherly, but ending up sounding desperate, “Do you think you could go stand around with me for a few minutes, Seth?”

Helen hisses at Silas, “You wouldn’t put Michelle through this!”

She stands, “Come on, Seth, we’re gonna gone have dinner.” She leads him inside.

An aide speaks to Silas, “Do you still want to go, sir?”

Silas turns around, “Come on.”

  * David (with a nasty bruise on his chin), Jack, Michelle, Shay, Isaiah, Adam, Ryan, and Reinhardt all hang around in the back of a truck, exhausted and grim, reviewing security footage.



David, “It makes no fucking sense, he can’t have just fucking disappeared.”

Reinhardt: “One of the Shiloh police officers told me that a group of civilians came out of a fire exit a couple of minutes after the last explosion, and he thinks Amal may have been one.”

David: “So that’s it? He just… walked out. With nobody noticing him.”

Jack: “We know who he is. He can’t hide forever.”

Shay: “That’s what they keep saying about us.”

Reinhardt, “I’ll keep the MSS on his case.”

David, “What are you going to do when Silas tell you not to?”

Reinhardt thinks for a moment, but is stopped from saying something when Frankie comes hurrying up to the truck, “Uh, hey, you guys might want to know that King Silas is gonna be here in a few minutes.”

Michelle: “Shit! We have to leave.”

Jack puts a hand on David’s shoulder, “Yeah, come on, David, the rescue operation’s done, we don’t need to be here.”

David stares hard at the footage of Amal running through the mall, “Amal is still fucking out there.”

Shay: “We aren’t gonna find him tonight. The police are looking for him. It sucks, but I think right now our best choice is to let them do their jobs.”

Michelle, “You can stay here as long as you want, David, but Jack and I are getting the fuck out.”

David, “All right, all right, let’s go.”

  * Silas walks through the scene, looking around desperately for someone, an aide following after him.



Aide, “Sir, what are you looking for?”

Silas: “My children!” He continues through the crowd, and spots Frankie.

Silas: “You! Hatch!”

Frankie turns around and sees him, “Oh, shit, uh I mean, uh, your majesty, can I help you?”

Silas: “Where are Jack and Michelle?!”

Frankie looks around, “They were just leaving, in fact, uh, I think… that’s them.” He points at a car. Inside, Jack and Michelle sit in the back seat, and David in the front passenger seat.

Jack looks over at the crowd, and sees Silas, “Oh, shit, there’s Dad.”

Michelle turns her face away in disgust. Silas looks at the car and Jack in the windows. Briefly, he and Jack make eye contact before the car turns away. Silas stares desperately at the car until it disappears from sight.

  * In the palace, Helen leads Seth down a hallway, “I want you to try to get some sleep tonight, even if it’s hard, okay?”



Seth makes an “mmm” of affirmation.

Helen sighs, her tone serious, “I know your dad’s job can be pretty chaotic, but I’m doing my best to make it easy for you. You know he and I both love you very much, right?”

Seth doesn’t reply.

Helen, “Seth?”

Seth collapses to the floor.


	28. S4, E3: Family

“ **Family** ”

Leadership meeting at Chez Iggy.

Abby, “The bad news is Amal got away.”

Shay: “How the fuck did that happen? We know who he is, we know who his followers are and how he’s recruiting them. We’ve got to be able to find him. Silas found _us_ , for fuck’s sake.”

Jack: “The first time, we had a mole, the second time, we kind of gave our position away.”

Shay: “So should we send out an Amalekite mole? If he’s poaching dissatisfied AFG soldiers…”

David: “I’m not gonna send someone out into that dangerous of a position. We can keep using Reinhardt’s intel, and disseminate Amal’s image and information everywhere.”

Abby: “If we make it well-known that he’s some random fucko with an unremarkable military record and a series of shitty retail jobs, we can deconstruct his scary, untouchable image.”

Asher looks down at a newspaper, “If we’re on the subject of image, we came out looking like fucking heroes while Silas just sat on his fat ass.” He holds up the front page, showing images of David, Shay, Jack, and Isaiah.

Isaiah, “Last night, I tweeted that I didn’t have a safety suit because we don’t have the resources to buy me a safety suit. Do you know how many people started sending me money after that?”

Asher, “After seeing Jack go from spoiled, hard-partying prince, to hero who rescues babies, mothers suddenly want their sons to join the AFG. We’ve got recruits coming in from all over.”

David, snapping in frustration, “Amal got away, this is not a fucking good thing for us! And honestly what good are new recruits if we can’t train them?”

Shay: “We need to be training recruits if we want to overthrow Silas. I can figure some sort of basic training regimen out. If we’re in the middle of a cease-fire, we might as well take full advantage of it.”

David sighs, “Yeah, fine, as long as it doesn’t interfere with our campaign. That’s still our main focus.”

Abby’s phone rings. Everyone looks at her.

Abby, “Shit, it’s from the palace,” she answers, “Hello?”

On the other end, Helen speaks nervously into a speaker phone with Rose and Silas behind her, “Hello, this is Helen Pardis, who am I speaking to?”

Abby: “Abigail Hatch of the Army of Free Gilboa.”

Helen: “I’d like to speak to Prince Jack and Princess Michelle.”

Abby, uneasily, “Hold on a second,” she lowers the phone, “Helen Pardis wants to speak to Jack and Michelle.” Jack and Michelle look at each other.

Jack, “There’s no way Helen is talking to us without Mom and Dad listening in somehow.”

Michelle, to Abby: “Is it about Seth?”

Abby into the phone, “Is this about Seth?”

Helen, “Yes.” Abby nods. Michelle draws in a sharp breath.

Jack: “We’ll talk to Helen, but we’ll do it through you.”

Abby, into the phone, “They’ll talk, but through me.”

Michelle turns to David, “Can we have some privacy, please?”

Everyone quietly nods, gets up, and leaves.

Abby, “I’ll put the speaker phone on,” she presses the button, “What do you want to say, Helen?”

Helen, “Their little brother, Seth, is very sick. He’s reached end-stage heart failure, and he’s been put on the transplant waiting list.”

Michelle puts her hands over her mouth and holds back tears.

Helen, “He- he wants to meet his brother and sister.”

Jack, quietly, “Will Mom and Dad be there?”

Behind Helen, Rose hears Jack’s voice for the first time in over a year and tears up.

Abby, “Will King Silas and Queen Rose be there?”

Helen, “Seth has asked for his family to be together.”

Jack, “No. I’m not doing that. I don’t want to be in the same room as my parents, neither does Michelle.”

Rose cries.

Michelle, tears falling out of her eyes, “Oh, shut the fuck up, Jack, you’ve never needed a new heart!” She looks at Abby, “We’ll do it. For Seth. When he gets his transplant.”

Rose and Silas hear this, and incredulous relief comes over both their faces.

Abby, “They’ll do it.”

Michelle, authoritatively speaking up, “But there’s going to be rules. Rose and Silas will follow our rules exactly, or we’ll get up and leave.” She stops and thinks for a moment, “First of all, Rose and Silas will only speak to us if they are spoken to first. Jack and I will arrive at the hospital and be escorted inside without them seeing us. Nobody will follow us either to or from the hospital. We will wait in a separate room by ourselves until Seth is ready to be seen. Then, and only then, will we be in the same room as Rose and Silas. We will tell Seth who we are and what our story is on our terms, and with no interruption. Afterwards, we’ll go back into the room to wait by ourselves until the surgery is over and Seth wakes up. After that, we’ll go and see him one last time. If he wants to meet with us again…. we’ll make the agreement there. We will be there for Seth, and Seth alone.”

Abby, into the phone, “Did you get all that?”

Helen, “Yes, I did.”

Abby, “Will the king and queen agree to that?”

Helen looks at Rose and Silas. They both nod.

Helen, “They say yes.”

Abby looks at Jack, “Jack, do you agree to this?”

Jack thinks of a moment, and then says, “Yes. For Seth.”

Abby, “It’s agreed, then. Contact me again when the transplant is ready.”

Helen, weeping happily, “Thank you! Thank you so much! I- I can’t tell you how much this means to both me and Seth!”

Michelle angrily wipes tears from her eyes.

Abby, “You’re welcome, then. Goodbye.” She hangs up and looks at Michelle, “Where did all those rules come from?”

Michelle, “I’ve kind of been thinking about this for a while. I knew this would happen eventually,” she glances at Jack, “We’re gonna fucking see our parents again.”

Jack: “Shit.”

  * Silas and Helen in Seth’s hospital room. Silas, “Good news, puppy, Jack and Michelle have agreed to come and meet you.” A smile brightens Seth’s face.



Helen, “They’re gonna meet with you before you get your transplant. And they’re very happy to finally be meeting you.”

Seth: “I really want to meet them. They’re really cool.”

Silas looks on, and grows very serious, “Seth, when they talk to you… they may say somethings about me that… aren’t very kind, but are still true.”

Seth, “What do you mean?”

Silas, “I wasn’t the best father to them. There’s a lot of things that I didn’t tell them, but I wish I did.”

Seth, “Like about me?”

Silas reaches into his coat, and pulls out the Benjamin family portrait. He hands it to Seth. Silas, “The little boy in the picture is me, with my family. My parents, Chris and Suzanne, and my sister, Kathleen.”

Helen leans in and looks at the pictures, “Oh, my goodness, you look so much like Seth! I never knew you had a sister.”

Silas, “She died when she was fourteen, of complications from HLHS. This was before transplants and palliative surgery. I never told Jack and Michelle about her, or about how I lived in fear of my father. They had to find out on their own.”

Seth: “Why didn’t you tell them about her?”

Silas, quietly, “Because it hurt too much. But I should have told them, just like I should have told them about you. Jack and Michelle would have been a very good brother and sister to you. I know they both love you very much. And I’m very happy that you’re going to meet them.”

Seth looks hard at Silas, “Dad, can I talk to Mom alone for a second?”

Silas, slightly confused, “Sure thing, puppy. I’ll wait outside, and your mom can come and get me when it’s time to leave.” He stands up and goes outside.

Seth looks over at Helen, “Mom, you have to promise not to tell Dad this.”

Helen, “What is it, sweetie?”

Seth, “I- I don’t want to be king.”

Helen puts her hand over her mouth and chokes up.

Seth, “Mom?”

Helen: “I’ve been trying to get you out of the palace. I really have.”

Seth, “Can I just… tell Dad that I don’t want it?”

Helen, “Oh, sweetie, I don’t- I don’t know if that’s gonna work. With both you and Jack gone, who’s gonna be king after your father?”

Seth: “David Shepherd.”

Helen laughs, bitterly, “Don’t tell your dad that. He will not be happy.”

Seth: “So what can I do?”

Helen, “I don’t know…. You can always be made king and then abdicate, I guess.”

Seth: “But I want to be a medic, like Michelle.”

Helen wipes tears away from her eyes, “I’m sorry, Seth, I- I don’t know what to tell you. I wish I did. I think the best thing you can do right now is just get ready for your transplant, and then focus on getting better. Can you do that for me?”

Seth: “I’ll try.”

Helen, forcing a smile, “Good boy.”

  * Abby and Michelle sleep soundly in a bed together. On the bedside table, Abby’s phone rings. She and Michelle groan and stir.



Michelle, “What fucking time is it?” On the alarm clock: 4:22.

Abby grabs her phone and answers blearily, “Abigail Hatch, AFG.” Her face grows serious, and she looks over at Michelle, “Seth has a donor.”

  * Gray, rainy day, an SUV parks outside of the hospital. Helen stands beside an escort who holds and umbrella over her. Jack gets out, holding an umbrella, and Michelle follows. They hold hands and approach Helen, who smiles fondly at them.



Helen goes over and hugs Michelle, “You’ve grown up so much!”

Michelle smiles, painfully, “Hi, Helen.”

Helen turns to Jack, “Jack, you’re so handsome now! I hope Seth looks like you when he grows up!” She hugs him.

Jack, “How are you, Helen?”

Helen, “It’s been a rough couple of weeks. But I’m so happy you’re both here.”

Michelle, “We’re here for Seth.”

Helen looks for a moment at both Jack and Michelle, and hugs them both.

  * Jack and Michelle stand in a private waiting room, still nervous and holding hands.



Jack: “You ready?”

Michelle, taking a deep breath, “I’m ready.”

  * A door opens, and Helen enters, “Okay, come on, Seth’s ready.”



Jack and Michelle follow Helen down a hallway. Helen opens a door, and inside, Seth lays propped up in bed, Silas and Rose sitting in chairs beside him, holding hands. Jack and Michelle keep their eyes fixed on Seth as they enter.

Michelle goes over to him, “Hi, Seth, I’m your sister, Michelle.” She kisses his cheek.

Jack shakes his hand, “I’m your brother, Jack.”

Seth smiles, “I’m Seth. Nice to meet you.”

Michelle smiles radiantly, “It’s very nice to meet you.”

Helen, “Let me get some pictures!”

Jack and Michelle pose awkwardly with Seth wile Helen snaps some pictures her phone. They both sit down, still avoiding looking at Rose and Silas.

Michelle, “You know, I was sick, like you, and then I got a transplant.”

Seth, “I know. Dad told me.”

Michelle, “I got it when I was fourteen. And now I’m a medic saving lives.”

Seth, “I saw you on the news. I saw both of you on the news.”

Jack grins sheepishly, “Yeah, we end up in the news a lot.”

Michelle, “You’re gonna get better, with your new heart. You have to take medicine, but, you won’t get sick because of your heart, anymore.”

Seth: “Can I see your scar?”

Michelle, grinning slyly, “All right.” She unbuttons her jacket, revealing a sleeveless shell  
underneath.

Rose, who hasn’t seen Michelle’s tattoos up close, makes a noise of shock and disgust. Jack makes a few quick glances over at her and struggles to suppress a smirk.

Seth doesn’t notice, “Woah, you have tattoos?!”

Michelle, “Yeah, I do,” she looks down at her chest, “The heartbreaker was the first one I got,” she puts her hands on it, “Breaking hearts is kind of my thing,” she turns her arm, “This is Joan of Arc. Underneath it, it says ‘I am not afraid. God is with me. I was born for this.’ Words I try to live by,” she turns her back, “I have a caduceus on my back because I’m a medic,” she extends her other arm, “Jack and I have matching tattoos here, for Apollo and Artemis. They’re a Greek god and goddess, and they’re twins, like us.”

Seth looks at Jack, “Lemme see yours.”

Jack, grinning, “Okay, hold on.” He removes one sleeve of his jacket, unbuttons his sleeve cuff, rolls it up, and extends his arm, “See?”

Seth, “That’s so cool! I want one!”

Michelle laughs, “Maybe you can get Hermes.”

Seth looks at Helen, “Can I, Mom?”

Helen, “When you’re eighteen.” Rose looks on in disgust, struggling to hold her tongue.

Michelle touches her shoulder and points to her bullet scar, “And here I have the three stars of the Army of Free Gilboa. This one got kind of messed up because I got shot right there.”

Rose blurts out, “You got shot?!” Jack and Michelle both stare at Rose. She sinks into her chair, realizing she wasn’t supposed to do this.

Michelle, “I did. When we were trying to escape over the border to Ammon.”

Jack, “She stuck a needle in her chest to help re-inflate her lung. It was badass.”

Michelle grins a little bit, “No point in being a medic if you can’t perform an emergency procedure on yourself.”

Seth, “I want to be a medic, just like you.”

Jack and Michelle both awkwardly look back at him.

Jack, softly, “You can do whatever you want.”

Seth smiles for a moment, and changes the subject, “Why did you two leave?”

Michelle stares awkwardly at the floor.

Jack, “You’re very lucky, Seth. Dad’s always been good to you. He wasn’t always so good to me and Michelle.”

Seth, “Dad says you left because of David Shepherd.”

Jack, “I fell in love with David, and that gave me the courage to leave, but, it wasn’t all him. I’d wanted to leave for a very long time, but I didn’t know how.”

Seth, “You’re in love with him?”

Jack, smiling, “Yeah. He loves me, too. Do you want to see some pictures of what our life is like?”

Seth, “Sure.”

Jack pulls a tablet out of his jacket pocket, pulls up some pictures, and hands it to Seth. On the screen is a cute couple-y picture of Jack and David in the woods behind Chez Iggy. Seth scrolls to the next picture, one of Michelle and Abby.

Michelle, “That’s me and my girlfriend, Abby. I love her very much.”

Silas shifts in his seat, but doesn’t say anything. Seth scrolls to the next picture, Jack and David on stage at the Gath blowout party.

Jack laughs, “The first place we ran away to was Gath. After a while, we wanted to get out, so we decided to make Premier Shaw think we were all really stupid by throwing this big party. I was blowing glitter out of my nose for a week.”

Michelle, “That was fun.”

Jack, “It was fun!”

Seth scrolls again, a picture of Michelle wrapping Jack’s head in bandages.

Michelle, “When I was going through medic training.”

Another picture.

Michelle, “That’s us getting our tattoos in Moab.”

Another picture, Michelle, “We were trying to move around without getting noticed, so we all dyed our hair, and I gave David some piercings. Jack was too stubborn to change his hair.”

Jack, “I grew a beard! And I taught you how to drive on that trip, so you can’t complain!”

Another picture, Jack, David, and Shay in the woods, posing with guns.

Seth, “Why do you have guns?”

Jack: “Because we’re an army. We fight battles.”

Seth, “Like with the Amalekites?”

Jack: “Yeah.”

Seth, “I know David Shepherd is trying to overthrow Dad. Do you want to kill him?”

Jack, slowly, carefully thinking of each word, “I hope it doesn’t have to come to that.”

Seth, “If David’s king, that means I don’t have to be king.”

Jack, “Yeah, that’s true.”

Seth, “What did Dad do to you, to make you want to overthrow him?”

Jack thinks for a moment, “A lot of things. Too many things for me to possibly tell you in one sitting.”

Michelle, without hesitating, “He lied to us about you. He lied to us about a lot of things.”

Silas, very carefully, to Seth, “It wasn’t always so bad. I used to tuck them both in at night and read to them.”

Jack, interrupting, suddenly angry, “You treated me like dirt, constantly told me I was weak, made me feel ashamed of who I am, and nothing I did was ever, ever good enough! David saved my life in ways that I can’t even describe to you!”

Silas glares at Jack, but says nothing.

Michelle, “We could have been your big brother and big sister. We would have loved you as our little brother so, so much. And Silas lied and kept you away from us.”

Seth, “Why do you call him Silas?”

Michelle: “Because after the way he betrayed me by lying about you, I can’t call him Dad,” she glances over at Silas, “I can’t even think of him as Dad.”

Jack looks back at Seth, “Like I said, you’re lucky, Dad’s been good to you.”

Seth looks back at the tablet and keeps scrolling.

Jack, awkwardly changing the subject, “We spent some time in the desert, I got really sunburned.”

Michelle, going along: “He looked like a lobster.”

Seth scrolls again, David, Abby, and Michelle in their AFG uniforms.

Michelle, “That’s when we went to Royal Council in Damascus. You could have met me, then.”

Seth: “A bomb went off.”

Michelle, “Yeah, I was there when it happened. David and I saved a lot of lives. I should’ve brought the medals I got.”

Seth: “I’ve seen pictures.” Seth scrolls again, a happy-looking group photo of the AFG fam at Chez Iggy.

Jack: “Those are all our friends. They’re more than friends, really. They’re our new family. We trust every single person in that photo with our lives.”

Seth keeps scrolling: cute couple photos of David and Jack, Michelle and Abby, silly sibling photos of Jack and Michelle.

Silas, “You know, Seth, I’m proud of your brother and sister and what they’ve done.”

Jack, Michelle, and Seth, all stare at Silas.

There’s a knock at the door, and the surgeon enters, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but the donor heart is here. We need to prep Seth for surgery.”

Seth puts the tablet down.

Michelle reaches over and puts her hand on Seth’s, her eyes brimming with tears, “I know this is scary. But you’re gonna get through this, and your life is gonna be so much better because of it.”

Seth nods bravely, “I’m not afraid.”

Michelle stands, and kisses Seth on the forehead, “I love you, Seth.”

Jack stands up behind her, “I love you, too.” Silas and Rose stand, followed by Helen.

Silas, “We all love you, Seth.”

They step back, and the surgeon and some nurses wheel Seth’s bed away. Everyone stands awkwardly not looking at each other.

Finally, Michelle looks at Helen, “He’s wonderful. I’m proud to say he’s my brother.”

Jack, “Me, too.”

Helen, “Thank you so much.”

Jack, “If Seth’s not here, we should go back to our waiting room.”

Silas, “Can I ask one question?”

Jack looks uneasily at him, “What?”

Silas: “Are you happy?”

Jack smiles slightly, “I have experienced more happiness in one year of living in tents with David than I did in twenty-three years of living in a palace with you.”

Michelle, thinking carefully, “It’s hard to say you’re happy when you’re living in a war zone. But I don’t regret any of the decisions I’ve made. I’m happy with my life.”

Silas, pained, “Good. I’m glad.” He turns and exits the room with Rose.

Helen, “Can I speak with you in your waiting room?”

  * Helen sits with Jack and Michelle, “First of all, I am so, so sorry for all the pain that I’ve caused you. You have every reason to feel betrayed-”



Michelle interrupts, “Silas was the one who betrayed us. We’re not angry at you.”

Helen smiles painfully and wipes a tear from her eye, “I watched the two of you grow up in news reports and in gossip columns, and I knew something was wrong in the palace. I knew you couldn’t have been happy. But Silas was so good to Seth. I was afraid to say anything. I should have.”

Jack, “You couldn’t have changed anything.”

Helen smiles encouragingly at Jack, “I’ve known all along that you’re a strong, smart, kind person, Jack. I’ve always hoped that Seth would take after you.”

Jack, “Is he happy, at the palace?”

Helen, tears falling down her face, “No. He isn’t. He’s told me so. But the fact that the two of you have managed to find happiness gives me so much hope.”

Michelle reaches out and holds Helen’s hands.

Helen lowers her voice, “I’m rooting for you. I really am. I hope David becomes king, and that he can get Seth away from all that. Because I can’t. I’ve tried.”

Jack and Michelle look at each other, shocked.

Jack, “Be careful. You can’t look like you’re actively supporting us.”

Michelle, “We’ll do everything we can to support Seth.”

Jack, “We’ve been trying all along to protect him, but we can’t be there, so it’s hard.”

Helen smiles sadly, “Just do what you can to make sure that David becomes king, all right? And I’ll do what I can.”

Jack, “If you could maybe keep us informed about what’s going on in the palace…”

Michelle, “That’s too dangerous.”

Jack, “I’m just saying, if you can figure out a way to keep us informed…”

Helen, “If there’s any way, I’ll find it. I’m willing to take the risk.”

Jack smiles and reaches out and holds Helen’s hands, along with Michelle.

Helen, “I’m so proud of both of you.”

  * Silas and Rose sit in their own waiting room. Rose scrolls through the pictures on Seth’s tablet, looking closely at the smiling images of Jack and Michelle. Helen walks in, and Silas and Rose stare at her as she sits down.



Rose, “What did they say?”

Helen, “They’re glad to finally meet Seth. You have good kids.”

Silas looks at his watch, “We still have a while to wait.” He looks at Helen, and everyone sits and waits in silence.

  * Jack and Michelle sit alone.



Jack, “Do you think Dad really meant it when he said he’s proud of us, or was he just saying that for Seth?”

Michelle: “Fuck if I know.”

Jack: “I knew Seth would be unhappy. It’s hell, being the heir.”

Michelle: “At least now he has us to talk to. It’s easier when you have someone who knows exactly what you’re going through.” She leans over and puts her head on Jack’s shoulder.

Jack, “We’re gonna take care of him.” He puts an arm around her reassuringly.

  * Michelle naps on Jack’s shoulder while Jack scrolls through his phone. The surgeon enters. Jack shakes Michelle, and she looks up in surprise.



Michelle, “What? Is- is it done already?”

The surgeon sits down next to Michelle, “The donor heart failed. I’m very sorry, but, Seth died.”

Michelle’s eyes widen in horror and disbelief, “Wh- what?”

Surgeon, “Everything was going perfectly, no complications. We tried to re-start the donor heart, but it wouldn’t beat on its own.”

Michelle, “My transplant went fine!”

Surgeon: “Complications can happen to anyone.”

Jack rubs his face, and Michelle breathes heavily. Jack, “Thank you, Doctor.”

Surgeon, “Is there anything you’d like me to do?”

Michelle, stares out in shock, but then looks at the doctor, “Can- can we see him?”

The surgeon nods, “Of course.”

  * ([“Medicine” Daughte](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrulQAZq7Y8)r) Jack and Michelle stand in the operating room, looking down at Seth’s small body, draped in a white sheet. Jack cries silently while Michelle trembles and strokes Seth’s face. She sobs, strokes his hair, and leans over to kiss his forehead. She stands back up, and Jack puts his arm around her. She cries into his shoulder.



The door opens, and Silas rushes in. He sees Seth, “Oh, no, no…” He looks over at Jack and Michelle, who stare back at him.

Silas, “You can come home. We can be a family again.” He takes a step towards them, and Jack reflexively tightens his arm around Michelle.

Silas, growing more desperate, “We need to be a family again. We have to be a family again!” Michelle stares at Silas, unable to say no.

Silas takes another step towards them, “Please!”

Jack pulls Michelle away and points furiously at Silas, “YOU STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM US!” He pulls Michelle away and out the door.

  * Jack leads Michelle through the hospital, downstairs and to where their car sits waiting. He opens the door and they both get in.



Jack, to the driver, “Take us back to Iggy’s. We’re done here.”

Michelle begins to hyperventilate. Jack struggles to keep from crying. Michelle screams at the top of her lungs, screams again, and keeps screaming. Jack puts his arm around her and cries with her.

  * That night, David and Abby stand waiting outside Chez Iggy. Jack and Michelle’s SUV drives up. David and Abby both go and greet them with tight hugs. Jack is a mess and Michelle is beyond tears.



David, “I’m so sorry.”

  * In their room, Jack bawls uncontrollably into David’s shoulder while David tries in vain to comfort him.



  * In her room, Michelle lays on her bed, listening to her heart with a stethoscope, not crying. Abby goes over and lays down beside her.



She puts her hand on Michelle’s arm, “What are you doing?”

Michelle, “I’m listening to the heart in my chest. I can’t even call it my own. Another family lost their daughter so that I could have it. Today, another family lost their son so that Seth could have his heart. And Seth died, anyway.”

Abby puts an arm around her, “I love you.”

Michelle puts her arms around Abby, “I love you.”


	29. S4, E4: What You Must Sacrifice

**“What You Must Sacrifice”**

Back inside the hospital, Silas confronting Jack and Michelle, Jack: “YOU STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM US!” He pulls Michelle away, leaving Silas staring and blinking.

Silas looks at Seth, overwhelmed and dumbstruck. He falters, covers his face with his hand like he’s going to cry, but then resolves himself and goes back out.

  * He enters the waiting room where Helen sobs and Rose waits.



Rose stands up, “Did you speak to them?”

Silas, “They left. Jack told me to stay away.”

Rose struggles to keep her composure, but still wipes a tear from her eye, “It was foolish to think they’d come back.”

Helen snaps in disgust at Rose, “Seth just died, and already you’re scheming to get your children back like toys you lost!”

Silas, “Helen, please, we’re all upset.”

Helen, screaming, “FUCK YOU, SILAS! You ruined Seth’s life and my life! The stress of being the heir is what made him sick, and he didn’t even want to be king!”

Silas raises his voice, “Helen!”

Helen, “He told me! He told me he didn’t want to be king!”

Rose, “You stop talking!”

Helen, “I have held my tongue ever since I set foot in the palace. I should have spoken up! If I’d have spoken up, Seth- Seth might…” she chokes up and can’t bring herself to say it.

Silas sits down and puts his head in his hand.

Helen, “You know I used to love you, Silas. I used to think you were a wonderful father, that you really loved me and Seth!”

Silas, snapping, “Don’t you dare say that I didn’t love Seth! I loved all my children!”

Helen laughs, half-hysterical, “If you loved your children, they wouldn’t hate you! Michelle would proudly call you her father, Jack would happily be the heir, and Seth would be alive! You told your children that you loved them, and then you destroyed them!”

Rose stands up, “That is enough!”

Helen turns to Rose, “Oh do you think you aren’t complicit in this? That you’ve done nothing to your children, that this isn’t your fault, too?!”

Rose, “You shut your mouth! You will never, ever understand what happened with Jack and Michelle!”

Helen, full of rage, “The things they told me were pretty easy to understand!”

Silas, “You’re free to leave the palace, now, Helen. You can go back into the country, move somewhere new, do whatever you want.”

Helen stares at Silas for a moment, but is overcome, and has to sit down. Helen, barely able to say the words, “My son, my baby, Seth- he’s dead, and it’s all your fault, Silas. You’re alone, and you deserve it. You’re going to lose your kingdom, and you deserve it!”

Rose, “I will have you arrested for treason!”

Helen, sneering, “You can’t arrest me just yet, I have to make an appearance at the funeral. After that, you can arrest me.” She stands up and leaves.

  * Helen is driven back to the palace. She stares blankly out at the grey, rainy late day. She arrives at the palace.



Thomasina is there to greet her, genuinely distraught, “Helen, I am so sorry!”

Helen, “Please don’t talk to me.” She goes past.

  * In an elevator, she chokes up and almost cries, but composes herself when the doors open.



She enters a TV room, toys still littered on the ground. Not knowing what else to do, she begins picking things up. She accidentally steps on a TV remote, and the TV turns on to a news channel. David’s smiling face flashes across the screen. Helen stares and sits down.

A talking head narrates, “What really has to happen for David Shepherd to become king? It doesn’t necessarily have to involve the death or abdication of King Silas. Bloodless coups have happened before, but not in Gilboa. Is it possible?”

The screen cuts away, and a news anchor with a BREAKING NEWS graphic beside his head appears, “We’re sorry to interrupt this report, but The Gilboan News Network has just received word that Prince Seth, young heir to the crown of Gilboa, has died.”

Helen trembles and tears well in her eyes.

The news report goes on, “Prince Seth was born illegitimately to King Silas, but was brought into public life after the defections of Prince Jack and Princess Michelle. As of right now, no cause of death has been announced, but the Prince was confirmed to have suffered from Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, the same heart condition that affected his sister, in which the left side of the heart is under-developed and cannot pump enough blood. With the death of Prince Seth, the Benjamin monarchy is once again left without an heir.”

Helen sobs. She collapses onto her side and cries helplessly.

News anchor, “Queen Rose will make a press announcement soon.”

  * Rose, wearing a chic black suit, stands in front of a mob of reporters, “It brings me the greatest sorrow to announce that Prince Seth has died. He was undergoing a heart transplant surgery, complications arose, and the doctors were unable to revive him,” She wipes a strategic tear away from her eye, and goes on, “Before his operation, he was blessed with the chance to meet his brother and sister, Prince Jack and Princess Michelle, and to see his family brought together for once.”



Screens around her flash a picture of Seth in a hospital bed, surrounded by Helen, Silas, Rose, Jack, and Michelle.

o In her room, Helen sits up and screams, “You evil cunt! That’s not yours to use!”

o Rose carries on, “The death of Prince Seth is a terrible, undeniable tragedy, but small comfort can be found in the fact that he was happy when he went into his surgery. Silas, Helen, and I ask for privacy as we take time to mourn. Funeral plans will be announced as soon as they’re made. Thank you.”

She steps away from the press podium. She goes back into the palace, where Thomasina and a large number of staff wait for her.

Thomasina has tears on her face, “Is there anything that anyone can do right now?”

Rose, “Keep an eye on Helen, make sure she doesn’t off herself. As for Silas and me, we need our privacy. I’ll call if anything is needed.” She goes into the residence.

  * Silas sits on a sofa, staring out into space. Rose goes over to the liquor cabinet, pours herself a scotch, and downs it in a single gulp.



She turns her head to look at Silas, “Do you need anything, Silas?”

Silas continues to stare out into space. He mutters something incomprehensible.

Rose turns around to look at him, “Silas?”

Silas looks up at her, a strange, detached cast over his eyes, still mumbling, “Kathleen. H-have you seen Kathleen? I have to find her.”

Rose stares at Silas for a moment. She goes over to him, kneels, and shakes his shoulders, “Silas, snap out of it! Kathleen’s been dead for years!”

The cast disappears from Silas’s eyes. They focus, and he looks at Rose.

Rose, adamant, “I know this is unbearable, but this is no time to go crazy. You have to be a strong, forceful leader who handles himself gracefully through personal tragedy. Do you understand?”

Silas, back to his senses, “Get me a drink, Rose.”

Rose, undeterred, “Do you understand?!”

Silas, “Yes, I understand!”

Rose: “Shepherd is counting on you going crazy! He thinks he can use this cease-fire to become king!”

Silas, dead serious, “Do not talk to me about Shepherd right now.”

Rose, “Don’t pretend he isn’t thinking about you, wondering how he’s going to use this tragedy to get your crown.”

Silas, “Goddamnit, Rose, just get me a drink!” He tears up, “We- we didn’t pray! God killed Seth because we didn’t pray! Michelle vowed to dedicate her life to God, that’s why she survived! I never told Seth about that, it’s my fault he’s dead!” He sobs pathetically.

Rose’s steely demeanor falters, and she looks down at Silas in pity, “It’s not your fault.”

Silas, “God has abandoned me! Why has God abandoned me?!”

Rose tries to think of something to say, but can’t think of anything. She stands and goes over to the liquor cabinet. She pours Silas a drink and brings it to him. She sits down beside him as he sobs. Her lips tremble for the briefest moment, but she pushes the emotion away.

Rose: “Now it’s more important than ever that Jack and Michelle come back. We’ll think of something.”

  * The outside of the palace is absolutely covered in flowers, candles, teddy bears, and letters of condolence. Inside, seemingly endless flower arrangements surround a small, flag-draped coffin where Seth lies in state.



Thomasina speaks to Helen, both dressed in black, “Everything is in place. The procession and funeral should go smoothly.”

Helen, “This is so beautiful, thank you.”

Thomasina, her usual wall of professionalism breaking, “I’m so sorry. Seth was a wonderful child. I honestly don’t understand how God could…” she raises a hand to her face, catching herself, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Rose and Silas, both dressed in black, enter. Silas stares at the little coffin.

Rose goes up to the flowers a few things, “These flowers have to be rearranged,” she turns to Thomasina, “Can we have someone to do that?”

Thomasina, “Right away, ma’am.”

Rose shakes her head, “I was very specific about how these were to be arranged. This isn’t just some poor soldier’s funeral. Luckily, I came early, we can get this fixed.”

Helen goes over and looks at the arrangements, “Who sent all these?”

Rose, “Our supporters and allies.” She goes over to a bouquet of red roses, “These are from the Merritts.”

Silas goes over to a small spray of white roses. He picks up the card, “From the Army of Free Gilboa.”

He smirks, briefly, and then kicks the stand, and the arrangement spills all over. Furiously, Silas stomps and crushes the flowers, creating a huge mess while Rose and Helen stare in shock. The person in charge of arranging the flowers arrives, and stares. Silas stops and looks down at the tattered and ruined flowers on the floor.

Rose turns to Thomasina, “Have this cleaned up rearranged the way I said.”

  * Mourners the streets of Shiloh. Seth’s funeral procession makes its way from the palace to the national cathedral. Inside the royal limousine, Rose and Helen look out at the crowds while Silas sits stone-faced in the middle.



  * In the cathedral, states-people and military officials, but no children, fill the pews. Andrew and Chloe sit with Christine. Reinhardt and his wife are there, along with Abner had his daughter. The doors open, and everyone stands. Soldier-pallbearers carry the coffin down the aisle, followed by Rose, Helen, and Silas. The coffin is carried to rest at the altar. Silas Rose and Helen watch as it is carefully put in place. They find their seats. Everyone sits down with them. Rose tightly holds Silas’s hand



Jack and Michelle stand facing each other in a hallway, wearing funeral clothes. They look at a paper that Jack is holding.

Michelle, quietly, “Can you read my parts? I-if I open my mouth, I’m not going to be able to keep it together.”

Jack, “Yeah, no problem.”

Michelle, “Thanks.”

o Silas, Rose, and Helen sit in stony silence as mourners fill the seats beside them and cameras roll.

o Jack and Michelle approach a podium, Michelle clinging to Jack’s arm.

Jack lays the paper on the podium, and begins reading, “Today, we mourn for our brother, Prince Seth Benjamin. Michelle and I only had an hour to get to know him, but we’re grateful for every second of it. We have to thank Helen Pardis for being a wonderful, loving mother to Seth, and for protecting him when Michelle and I couldn’t be there.”

Helen sobs quietly and listens.

Jack, “We learned about Seth along with the rest of Gilboa. Seth was just one of many things that our father kept from us, but he was the most important.”

Michelle starts to cry.

Jack carries on, “When we met him, Seth told us he wanted to be a medic, like Michelle. That made the both of us incredibly proud. Seth had a kind soul. He was brave. He was smart. He was sensitive. He would have made an excellent and fearless medic. Being the heir of a monarchy, and a child with a chronic illness are both uniquely difficult positions to be in, something Michelle and I can both attest to. Seth found himself being both. Michelle and I can’t say what his future would have been like. We don’t even know what our future will be like. Whatever might have come, Seth’s kindness and bravery, intelligence and sensitivity would have made the world a better place. So it’s up to us to carry that on. We will keep living, and keep fighting, for Seth. We will be the ones to create the future he deserved to see, because we loved Seth.”

Michelle weeps and puts a hand on Jack’s arm. She speaks up, “Thank you.”

o In the cathedral, Helen weeps and smiles sadly.

o Back with Jack and Michelle, Joel holds up a video camera, and presses stop.

Joel, “Okay, we’ll get that uploaded. You guys did really well.”

  * In the cathedral, the reverend finishes praying, Jack and Michelle nowhere in sight, “And God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death.” Helen’s face shines with tears.



o Jack hugs Michelle tightly, the back view of Chez Iggy visible over his shoulder.

o Back at the cathedral, the reverend continues, “Neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Silas is overcome, and weeps openly.

  * After the funeral, in front of the palace, Helen and Silas get out from their car. Helen’s car pulls up behind them. Silas goes inside while Rose hangs back. Helen gets out of her car, and Rose goes up to her.



Rose, “If you don’t want to stay here now that the funeral is over, I can look into finding an apartment for you.”

Helen, “Can I at least be inside when you threaten to kick me out?”

Rose, “I’m not threatening anything. If you’ve truly come to hate Silas, then I’m sure you don’t want to live with him.”

Helen sniffs and tears up, “I can’t go back to the country. I can’t go back into that house knowing that Seth won’t be inside.”

Rose, “I’m willing to help you. I can find you a place where you can grieve in peace.”

Helen, “You’re just kicking me out!”

Rose shoots a hand out and puts it on Helen’s arm, touching her gently, “Jack and Michelle are still alive, so I can’t say that I really know what it’s like to lose a child. But I know what it’s like to sit and pray for your child to recover just one more time, not because you have such faith in God, but because there’s simply nothing else you can do.”

Helen pulls away, “So you are capable of human empathy, you just turn it on and off.”

Rose, “I want your life to be better than it was here.”

Helen, “All you have to do for that to happen is to stay the fuck away from me.” She storms off.

  * In the palace, Silas, once again detached and dazed, wanders around the residence. He stops and stares at a picture of his younger self, Jack and Michelle small, smiling children in his lap, a happy family.



  * Back in the TV room, Helen turns the TV on, and sees footage of Jack and Michelle delivering their eulogy.



A reporter announces, “Today the AFG released a video of Prince Jack and Princess Michelle delivering their own eulogy for their younger brother. The AFG also released an official statement, calling the death of Prince Seth, ‘Utterly tragic,’ but reiterating that they remain committed to their goal of having David Shepherd crowned king.”

Helen watches intently.

  * Silas walks down a hallway, past the official portrait of his younger self, a strong, mighty young man, next to the sad and confused-looking old man that he now is.



He steps into a doorway, and looks into Michelle’s room, still pristine and untouched. He sits on her bed, and looks at the dolls and teddy bears on top of her wardrobe. Her vanity is filled with happy pictures of them together as a family.

Kathleen sits on the bed next to Silas. She’s pretty, radiant, and healthy, and looks like Michelle. Silas looks over and sees her.

He smiles and shakes his head, looking relieved, “Jeez, Kathleen, where the hell have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you!”

Kathleen laughs, “I have my hiding places.”

Silas, “Yeah, well Dad’s really gonna give it to me if you disappear again.”

Kathleen’s smile fades, “I’m sorry, Si. I didn’t mean to get you in trouble. It’s kind of hard to keep you out of trouble.”

Silas, “Yeah, I know,” he sighs angrily, “I can’t fucking wait to get out of here. I’m gonna join the army, get a little place in Shiloh, and then I’m gonna come back here and get you,” he looks at Kathleen, “I swear, I’m gonna get you out.”

Kathleen shrugs, “It’s no use bringing me to Shiloh if I’m too sick to go out. I don’t want to be your burden.”

Silas, “Don’t say shit like that. You’re not a burden, you’re the greatest joy in my life. I fucking love you, Kathleen.”

Kathleen smiles sadly, “I’m not gonna make it to Shiloh.”

Silas looks away, “Don’t say that!” He looks back over at her, but she’s gone. He turns around to looks behind him.

Suddenly, Kathleen is lying in bed, pale, sick, in pain. Silas shoots up. Kathleen coughs violently and gasps for air. Blood stains her otherwise colorless lips.

Silas, “Kathleen! Kathleen!” He holds her hand, but she continues to gasp, “Kathleen!”

The voice of Samuels, “Did your horses ever come back?”

Silas spins around, and sees Samuels standing beside Michelle’s wardrobe. Silas looks for Kathleen, but she’s gone.

Silas, stunned, turns back to Samuels, “Yeah, they came back.”

Samuels smiles, “They know where they get fed.”

Silas, nervously, “Ephraim, I-I need your help. I’ve got three fucking wars going on, I’m fighting both Gath and Ammon, and Shepherd is back in Gilboa, and then there’s these fucking terrorists, the Amalekites, I don’t know how to stop them!”

Samuels, “You could have stopped the Amalekites, but you blamed their attacks on David. Now David looks like a hero, and the people want him to be king.”

Silas, “Is that why God has abandoned me?”

Samuels, “You can still win back God’s favor.”

Silas, “How, how?!”

Samuels, “Give up your crown. Give it to David.”

Silas, “No, I can’t do that.”

Samuels, “If David doesn’t become king, Gath will conquer Gilboa. Gerald Shaw will have his revenge, and he won’t be satisfied with just killing you. He will make you suffer. He will go after Jack, and make you watch.”

Silas, “No! That’s not going to happen!”

Samuels, “It’s God’s will. All you have to do is let the rightful king rule.”

Silas looks over, he sees David standing there, smiling cruelly and laughing softly. Jack approaches and kisses David’s cheek. They make out, and Jack shoots Silas a dark look. Silas turns around, sees Michelle as she appeared the night she defected, screaming at him, “You hurt everyone you claim to love! Seth is suffering because of your mistake! You don’t even know how much of a monster you are, Silas!”

Seth’s body lies on Michelle’s bed, covered up to the chest with a white sheet, crude sutures holding together a chest incision.

Seth’s eyes shoot open, and he looks at Silas, “I don’t want to be king! Don’t make me be king, Dad!”

Silas looks up and sees Chris Benjamin standing on the other side of the bed, solemn and silent.

Silas spins back around, raging, “God turned Jack and Michelle against me! God took Seth away from me! God took Kathleen away from me! Now He’s taking away my kingdom, and using Jack’s life to threaten me! God is a cruel son of a bitch, why should I do anything more to please God?!”

Samuels, “I can’t tell you why, I’m just telling you what you must do.”

Silas, “Fuck you, and fuck God! I’ve given Him enough sacrifices!”

Helen’s voice, “Silas?”

Silas spins around, the room is empty.

Helen stands in the doorway, “Silas, are you all right? I heard yelling.”

Silas looks around and struggles to get his bearings, “I- I was just talking to myself.”

Helen, patiently, “Why don’t you come sit down? I’ll make you something to eat.”

Silas nods, “All right.”

  * Silas follows Helen into the kitchen. He sits down at the table.



Helen stands by the counter, “What do you want?”

Silas, “I don’t- I don’t care. A sandwich, scrambled eggs, whatever you feel like making.” He puts his hand over his face and rests his elbow on the table.

([“Nothing Makes Sense Anymore” Mike Shinoda](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYCQVv7AZ0k)) Helen takes a knife from the knife block. She approaches Silas. He looks up and sees her holding the knife. He jumps up and grabs her wrist.

She fights back, shrieking, “Seth is dead and it’s all your fault!” She wrenches her wrist free, and slashes at him, cutting his cheek, “You monster!” She lunges to stab him, and Silas ducks, falling over.

Helen looms over him, holding the knife, “David’s gonna be king, and I will be so happy when I kneel before him!”

Rose comes running up, she sees Helen and grabs her, trying to pull her away, “Security! Security! Someone help!”

Helen struggles against Rose and raises the knife. Silas jumps to his feet, grabs her wrist and disarms her. Security rushes in and grabs Helen. They pull her away from Silas, but she manages to get in one final, powerful kick to his chest, knocking him over.

Helen, hysterically crying, “Monster! Monster! Monster!”

Rose kneels by Silas, cradling him and sobbing, “Silas?!”

Silas looks around, wide-eyed at the chaos around him. Tears well in his eyes, and he gasps for air. Finally, he lets out an anguished cry. He starts bawling pathetically. Rose tries to comfort him, but he’s unreachable in his grief and confusion.


	30. S4, E5: Disloyalty

**“Disloyalty”**

Silas enters the council chamber, where his advisors, Reinhardt, Frank, and Abner wait standing for him. Silas is dead behind the eyes, and he has a bandage on his cheek.

He sits down, “Tell me what’s new.” Everyone sits down.

Abner, “First of all, the ministers all give their fullest condolences over the loss of Prince Seth, and we welcome you back after your time off.”

Silas, “Cut the bullshit, just tell me what’s going on. Have you found Amal?”

Frank, “The AFG has continued with their campaign against the Amalekites, and eliminated what appear to be three minor safehouses.”

Reinhardt, “We still have yet to uncover any information regarding possible future attacks or the whereabouts of Alek Amal.”

Silas, “Put an end to the Amalekite campaign. I’m re-committing to taking down Shepherd.”

Frank, “Sir, that is a very unwise thing to do!”

Reinhardt, “You've seen how popular Isaiah Clemens has become since the picture of him diffusing the bomb came out. Imagine how much we can improve national morale with the image of Gilboan soldiers taking out terrorists.”

Silas, “Shepherd is the real terrorist, and I don’t care about anything else!”

Frank looks at Abner, “You can’t be going along with this, Linus!”

Reinhardt, “Shut up, Frank.”

He thinks tensely for a moment, “We can end the Amalekites quickly.”

Silas, “What was all that about not knowing where Amal is?”

Reinhardt, “He will re-surface again, he has to, and with every strike we make against the Amalekites, the more and more likely he will be to show up again. I’ve eliminated terrorist groups before, and I will do it again. If we let the Amalekites continue to attack civilians, it will only give Shepherd more chances to be a hero, and undermine the public’s support of you.”

Silas looks angrily from Reinhardt to Frank to Abner, “I want Shepherd eliminated. I don’t care about anything else.”

  * AFG soldiers fight against Gilboan troops in the pouring rain.



Shay speaks into a radio, “We’re holding them off, but they sure as hell aren’t retreating!”

David speaks into his radio, marching through the woods with Abby and Asher, “Keep holding them! Keep following the evacuation plan, and meet at the rendezvous point!”

  * Everyone huddles around a lantern in the dark basement of an empty vacation cabin. Everyone is wet and cold.



They huddle around a tablet, showing a video of Silas making an announcement, “The Amalekites have been eliminated as a group, and Alek Amal is dead. With these terrorists no longer threatening Gilboa, the time has come for me to resume hostilities against David Shepherd and the Army of Free Gilboa.”

Everyone swears and grimaces.

Shay, “Look, we all knew this was going to happen, so we planned in advance, and we planned well. For now, we’re holding the army off, and we’ve got about five square miles that we can officially call AFG territory.”

David: “If they start bombing us, we’re fucked.”

Asher: “These woods are full of high-end vacation cabins, they all have basements and wine cellars and shit, just like this one. If they start bombing us, we have places to go.”

Shay, “David, now’s the time to start the offensive. Without Seth, Silas doesn’t have an heir, the monarchy is weak!”

Jack, “Mom or Reinhardt will take over if anything happens to Dad. Seth- Seth was willing to hand David the crown. Don’t make Seth’s death into anything good for us.”

Shay, “It’s still a massive fucking blow to Silas.”

David, “Can we get to Shiloh?”

Shay, “It’s either now or never, David. The worst thing we can do is keep sitting in the same place.”

David, “What are we gonna do about the Amalekites?”

Shay, “We may have to give them up.”

David, “What? No, we can’t!”

Shay, “Hey, we’ll fight them if they come to us, but right now we can’t spare any resources on anything but going to Shiloh.”

David, “So we’re supposed to let them just keep making these attacks?”

Abby, “There’s been no new intel on Amal since the mall attack. He could be dead.”

David, “He’s not dead, I know he’s not!”

Abby, “Well, nobody has any idea where he is or what he’s doing!”

David, “That makes no fucking sense. He’s got someone protecting him, he has to! There’s no other way he could just fucking disappear!”

Abby shivers, “Can we at least light a fire and try to dry out?”

David, “The smoke would give away our location.”

  * Silas and Reinhardt sit in Silas’s office.



Silas, “When the AFG re-entered Gilboa, the first thing they did was go after an Amalekite compound. How could they have known where it was?”

Reinhardt, thinking fast, “I would guess that because the compound was close enough to the Ammon border, the Ammon army could have been monitoring it, and given the intel to Shepherd.”

Silas, “I’ve seen the army reports indicating that we were monitoring the compound. Why was it being monitored?”

Reinhardt, “It was a possible AFG compound. It’s difficult to differentiate the Amalekites and the AFG without actually going into their hiding places.”

Silas, “Someone from within the army sent that intel to Shepherd.”

Reinhardt remains calm, “Are you suggesting a mole within the army?”

Silas, “I’m not suggesting, I’m saying.”

Reinhardt, carefully, “Who, sir?”

Silas, “It’s your job to figure that out.”

Reinhardt, “Where should I start looking?” he thinks for a moment, “Is there any evidence,” thoughtful dramatic pause, “That might point me in the right direction?”

Silas, “Hatch sent his idiot son to be the AFG’s liaison. If anything, I’d be willing to bet it was him passing the information.”

Reinhardt, “These are very serious charges, sir.”

Silas, “This whole palace is full of traitors. It’s how Jack and Michelle got out and the first bomber got in.”

Reinhardt, “After the first bombing, I tried to conduct a thorough review of palace employees, but Thomasina Bright interfered. Perhaps you should start with her.”

Silas, “Oh no, Thomasina is loyal. If she were ever disloyal, Shepherd would be sitting in my place right now. I trust her more than I trust you.”

Reinhardt, “I’ll look over my employee review findings and conduct another-”

Silas, interrupting, “What do you know?”

Reinhardt, “Pardon?”

Silas, “You’re the Minister of State Security, there could be no major break of state security without you immediately knowing. What do you know?”

Reinhardt, “If it were done in secrecy-”

Silas, “It’s not just coming from the day job employees, it’s coming from the higher-ups. Ministers, officers, officials. I want a list of names. If you can find me who passed Shepherd that intel….” Silas thinks, creating a long, dramatic pause, “You could be the next king.”

Reinhardt, “I’ll have it on your desk by tomorrow morning, sir.”

  * The table of the council chamber is lined with military officers. The gallery is packed full of ministers and other officials. In the middle, sit Frank and Frankie.



Frankie whispers nervously, “Why am I here?”

Frank shakes his head, “Must be getting a new assignment.”

Frankie, “So Silas wants me to go from talking to David to killing him?”

Frank, “Just accept whatever assignment he gives you. Don’t cause trouble.”

Silas, Reinhardt, and Abner enter, everyone stands to greet them. Frank looks at Reinhardt, who avoids his gaze. Silas sits, and everyone sits back down.

Silas looks out at his officers, “The question has been vexing me, why can’t we get David Shepherd?”

Frank looks around nervously, “Would you like an analysis, sir?”

Silas, “I know the answer why, General Hatch. Agents of the Army of Free Gilboa have been sending David Shepherd classified information from within the palace. I have given them power, authority, and the luxuries of a good life, and in return, I have been given treason, subversion, and sedition. I have a list of names. First on the list are Franklin Hatch, Sr., and Franklin Hatch, Jr.”

Four guards come in and go up to Frank and Frankie.

Frankie looks around in panic, but Frank remains calm, “Sir, what is this?”

Silas, “I’ve had enough of you challenging my authority, Hatch. You’ve done nothing but undermine my efforts to put an end to the AFG.”

The guards roughly grab Frank and Frankie and pull them up.

Frankie, “What did I do?!”

Frank, “You can punish me, but Frankie’s done nothing!”

Silas, “Major Hatch is going to give us some answers about the AFG, how it works, and how it is that Shepherd keeps sneaking away.”

Frankie, “I’ve told you everything that I know!”

Silas, “Shut up!” he looks at the guards, “Deal with them.”

Frank is led peacefully away, but Frankie struggles against them. Everyone in the room sits in terrified silence as the doors close. Suddenly a loud BANG, followed by Frankie screaming “DAD! DAD! DAD!”

Silas looks at the rest of his men, “From now on, this is what will happen to anyone who opposes me. Shepherd is only alive because we allow him to live. The time has come for us to change that. Fabian Houtman!”

Guards go to a minister sitting in the gallery. He stares up at them, and numbly complies as they take him away. Around the room, people sit in wordless terror. Reinhardt swallows hard but remains calm. A few begin to cry, some mutter silent prayers.

“Karen Alscher!”

The guards to up to a tearful woman who begs, “No, please, I have two kids, a little boy and a girl, please, your majesty, please!” She is led away.

Reinhardt looks away. Abner remains coldly focused, and Silas barrels on, “Justin Lantos!”

An army officer breaks down sobbing as he’s lead away.

“August Wheeler! Paula Delaney!”

Two more people are led away.

“Gordon Anthonsen!”

A man stands calmly, and as she’s led away, begins to recite, “Hail Mary, full of grace…”

“Herman Beck!”

A man sees the guards coming for him, “No, no!” He’s made to stand up, “What did I do?! I’ve done nothing wrong!” He’s dragged away, “What did I do?!”

“Sylvester MacDougall!”

He stands up and points at the woman next to him, “It was Peggy! That bitch has been saying all kinds of shit being your back!”

The woman begins to sob, “No, I never!”

Sylvester gets dragged away while Peggy cries.

“Anton Kumar!”

An officer jumps to his feet, “You can kill me, but Shepherd is still going to be king!”

Silas carries on, “Damon Villar!”

Kumar continues yelling, “I’ll see you in hell, Silas!” He’s led out of the room, followed by a BANG.

Silas, “Elena Stacey! Kendrick Dyer! Alexander Dirks!”

The last three are led away calmly.

Alexander Dirks briefly says, “Please tell my wife and children that I love them,” and is then led away.

The door closes one final time, and the room sits in horrific silence for a long moment. Reinhardt doesn’t look at anyone. Silas scans all the ashen faces in the room.

Silas, “I would like to thank Director Reinhardt for his work identifying these subversives. In the future, you can save your own ass by reporting disloyalty. Anyone who is found being disloyal will be disposed of.”

A couple of people break down sobbing uncontrollably.

Silas looks around coldly, and then says, “That is all.”

  * Camp in the middle of the woods. The AFG leaders sit in tense silence while Abby stares down at the news headline on a tablet: “Lt. General Franklin Hatch Charged With Treason, Executed.”



David, “I don’t understand- I at least got a trial!”

Jack, “Dad was trying to tear you down, destroy your image. This is purely a display of power.”

Abby, “Fuck my dad, anyway. He’s dead, and I don’t care.” She shuts her eyes and tears rolls down her cheeks, “What’s gonna happen with Frankie?”

David, “I- I dunno. He’s probably in prison.”

He looks over at Shay and Joel, “Can we break him out?”

Joel sighs, “We don’t even know which prison he’s in. If we knew where he was, I could look into some nearby safehouses and maybe any nearby units, but I doubt we’d be able to do anything.”

Shay, “We have to stay focused on the end goal here. I know it sucks, but, it’s the only thing we can do,” she pauses, “But we can at least probably get your mom into hiding. I want to get my mom into hiding, too. If I thought getting them out of Gilboa were an option, I’d say let’s do it, but I don’t know how we could work that.”

Abby, “We still have the sanctuary deal with Moab. We can get them out. What about everyone else’s parents?”

Isaiah, “I haven’t spoken to my parents since I joined the rebellion, and I think they’re just fine with that. They’re not gonna leave.”

Joel, “My dad’s been doing underground shit since before I was born. Besides, he’s Siberian, he can survive shit. We can get people out of the country. It’s just we can’t get someone out of prison.”

Abby, “David, what about your brother?”

David sighs, “He’s still in the army. If we try to get him out, Silas will go after his family. If we get his family out, Silas will go after him. I- I’m afraid our best option is to just leave him there.”

Shay, “Are you sure?”

David, “I hope I am.”

  * Two guards roughly put Frankie into a bed in a prison cell. His face is severely bloodied, and he winces with each movement.



Guard, “You’d better work on remembering those details a little better, Hatch. If you can’t help us find Shepherd, you’re gonna end up the same way as your dad.”

Frankie, weakly, “Fuck you. I told you everything.” He shuts his eyes, and the cell door slams. The guard’s footsteps fade away. Frankie opens his eyes and stares up at the ceiling.

A voice speaks, “Do you want to get out of here?”

Frankie looks over, and sees another guard, Xavier, standing by his door. Frankie, “Of course I fucking want to get out of here!”

  * Everyone decamps from a couple of SUVs into a new safehouse. Inside, Shay, Jack, David, and Asher scour a map and make plans while Joel looks on.



Asher, “There’s an airfield here, Iggy uses it, if we can get your mom here, we can get her on a plane to Moab easy enough.”

In the background, Michelle and Abby re-stock medic kits.

Joel’s phone rings, and he answers, “Yes?” He listens for a moment, and then lowers his phone, “Abby, you might want to listen to this.”

o Everyone around a table.

Abby: “This is too easy. A guard just happens to want to get him out? Something else is going on.”

Asher, “We’ve gotten a lot of defecting army units lately, a prison guard being on our side isn’t all that surprising.”

David, “Last time someone suspected a trap was Fistopia. That was definitely a trap.”

Asher, “This could be the only chance we get to save Frankie’s life.”

Jack, “I’m surprised that Frankie is even still alive.”

Shay, “If it’s a trap, what exactly are they trying to trap? The plan’s simple, it only requires two, maybe three people. If it were a trap, they’d either be trying to take out a big number of our troops, or one of us.”

David thinks for a moment, “Can we get Frankie on the same flight out as Shay’s mom?”

Joel shrugs, “I don’t see why not.”

David nods, “Send some Queens who are capable of fighting in case it’s a trap. If something goes wrong, they may have to leave, but,” he looks at Abby, “I think we owe it to Frankie to at least try to save him.”

Abby smiles gratefully.

  * Shay sits, nervously staring at a phone. She presses the “send” button and raises it to her ear.



o In a small apartment in Shiloh, Tala Mendoza answers, “Hello?”

Shay, in subtitled Tagalog, “Mama? It’s Shay.”

Tala, “Shay?! Is it really you?! I thought you couldn’t call!”

Shay tears up, “Listen to me very carefully, I think you need to leave Gilboa. I’m sending someone to pick you up, okay?”

o In the prison, Xavier watches two guards drag Frankie back to his cell.

o In a garage, three Queens in industrial laundry uniforms climb into a plain white laundry truck and drive out.

o At the safehouse, Abby speaks into a phone, “Mom, please listen to me!”

o In a fancy house in Shiloh, Frieda Hatch argues over the phone, “You haven’t spoken to me in over two years, now you’re just telling me to up and move to Moab?”

Abby, “Dad is dead and Frankie is in prison, if you don’t want to end up like them, you’re going to need to leave! If you want to take things with you, you still have some time to pack!”

o Xavier tries to get Frankie up from his bed, “Come on, it’s time to go.”

Frankie grimaces, “It fuckin’ hurts to move.”

Xavier, “You’ve got no choice, you have to move.”

o Tala gets into a car while the driver puts her suitcase into the trunk.

Tala speaks into the phone, “I’m leaving now.”

o Shay smiles, “I’ll be there to see you, okay?”

o Xavier slowly moves Frankie down the hallway, each step causing pain.

Xavier, “Can you go a little faster?”

Frankie, “I’m trying, man!”

o At the Hatch’s there’s a knock at the door.

Frieda speaks into the phone, “If I go, it means your father was guilty of something!”

Abby, “Well, Frankie’s gonna be guilty of breaking out of prison, and Silas’s police are gonna come for you! Come on, Mom! Answer the fucking door!”

o Xavier and Frankie stand on the loading dock of the prison, the truck backs up to the dock.

The back door opens, revealing a disguised Queen, who jumps down, “Get in.”

Frankie, “I can’t climb up that. Do you have the ramp?”

Queen, “That’s gonna take too long and make too much noise, come on, we gotta move!”

Xavier, “He can’t climb anything.”

A voice, “Are you authorized to be here?”

Everyone looks over and sees another prison guard shining a flashlight at them.

o Frieda sits in the back of a car, driving away from her home. She speaks sternly into her phone, “I want to speak to you in person, Abigail. Will you be wherever it is you’re taking me?”

Abby, “Yes, Mom, I will!”

o At the prison, the guard approaches, “High-security inmates are not supposed to be allowed out here!”

The Queen punches the guard, knocking him out. She turns to Xavier and Frankie, “Come on!” Slowly, she and Xavier help Frankie get up into the van. The door shuts, and they drive off.

o Shay, David, Abby, and Michelle stand waiting at an airfield. A car drives up and parks.

Tala climbs out, and Shay runs up to her, “Mama!”

Tala hugs her tightly, “Shay, darling, I’ve missed you so much!”

Shay, “I’ve missed you, too!”

David approaches, and Shay sees him.

Shay, “This is David.” She turns to David and speaks to him in English, “This is my mom, Tala Mendoza.”

David extends his hand, “It’s nice to meet you.”

Behind them, the white truck runs up, and Abby approaches it. She hurries around the back, and the door opens.

Abby, “Frankie?!”

The Queen pops her head out, “He’s hurt, you got a medic?”

Abby yells, “Michelle, come here! We need you!” Abby climbs into the truck, and sees Frankie slumped on the floor, “Oh my god, Frankie!”

He looks up and tries to smile at her, “Hey, Abby.”

Michelle approaches and climbs in. She kneels beside Frankie, and opens her medic kit. She hands Abby a flashlight, “Hold this so I can see,” she looks at Frankie and shines the flashlight in his eyes, “Pupils are good. Okay, tell me what happened, and what hurts.”

Frankie, “They beat the shit out of me, and everything hurts!”

Michelle gently palpitates his ribs, and Frankie winces and cries out.

Michelle, “Looks like you’ve got some broken ribs. Does anything else feel broken?”

Frankie, “My arm, something snapped in my arm.”

Michelle gently takes his arm and looks at a huge, swollen and bruised area, “There’s hematoma; it’s broken.” She digs around in her kit and pulls out a sling, which she ties around his shoulder, “You’re in rough shape, but I think the broken bones are the worst of it. Still, when you get to Moab, you should go to a hospital, they can set the bones properly and check for any internal injuries.”

Frankie, “Thanks, Michelle.”

Abby exhales shakily, “Thank fucking god for the guard who let you out, they’d have fucking killed you.”

Xavier steps up behind her, “Just doing the right thing.”

Abby looks up, sees him, and then rushes over and hugs him, “Thank you!”

Outside, the third car pulls up, and immediately, Frieda gets out, “Abigail! Abigail!”

Inside the truck, Abby hears her mother, and tosses her head back, “Fuuuuck!” She goes to the back of the truck and sticks her head out, “I’m right here, Mom!”

Frieda, “Where’s your brother?”

Abby, “He’s in here and fucking lucky to be alive!”

Frankie calls, “Hi, Mom!”

Frieda sees Frankie and gasps, “Frankie! What did they do to you?!”

Abby, “What does it fucking look like they did to him?!” Abby climbs down and goes over to Frieda, “Mom, I saved you and Frankie’s lives tonight, okay?”

Frieda looks disbelievingly at Abby, but then reaches out and hugs her.

Michelle gets down from the truck and goes over, “Do you need anything?”

Abby steps back from Frieda, “Mom, this is Michelle.”

Frieda looks over at Michelle, “You know, Abby really admired your fashion sense during her teenage years.” Michelle suppresses a grin.

Abby reaches over and takes Michelle’s hand, “She’s my girlfriend, Mom.”

Frieda’s face hardens, “Oh.”

David comes up, “Is everything okay?” Frieda sees David, and she fixes him with a hateful glare.

Michelle, “Frankie’s pretty hurt, but he’ll be okay as long as he gets to a hospital once he’s in Moab.”

David, “The plane’s here, we need to get moving.”

Abby, “Come on, Mom.”

Frieda, “Wait. I want to speak to him,” she looks hard at David, “This is all your fault.”

Abby, “Mom!”

Frieda goes on, “Frank was killed because of you! Frankie was beaten to a pulp because of you!”

David, stunned, “I- I’m sorry.”

Abby, “David didn’t do anything, Mom, Silas was the one who ordered Dad to be killed!”

Frieda begins to cry, “I’m being chased out of my own home because of you! You’ve ruined my life!”

Abby, “Mom, if you’re going to blame anyone, blame me, I’m the one who chose to join David,” she looks back at the truck, “Come on, it’s time to go.”

  * David helps Frankie board a small passenger plane, and sets him in a seat next to Frieda.



Outside, Shay tearfully hugs Tala.

Tala, “You stay safe, Shay.”

Shay, “I’ll do my best.”

Tala, “You’re brave, just like your father.” She smiles at Shay, and Shay smiles sadly back.

Shay, “I love you, Mama.”

Tala, “I love you, too.”

  * David, Abby, Michelle, and Shay watch the plane taxi down the runway and take off.



Shay, “God, it’s nice to have a mission go well for once.”

David, “No shit.”

Abby, “Let’s go. We don’t want to get caught here.” They go to get into the cars.

David, “Probably better if we go in two groups.”

Xavier comes up, “So, uh, I kind of can’t exactly go back to the prison…”

David, “Yeah, sure, get in. We’ll find a place for you.”

Abby and Michelle get in the back of a car, and Xavier gets in the front passenger’s seat.

  * The car drives down a dark, empty road. Michelle reaches over and touches Abby’s hand, “You okay?”



Abby nods, “Yeah. I’m glad Frankie’s gonna be okay.”

Michelle smiles reassuringly, “Me, too.”

In the front seat, Xavier nervously glances over at them. He takes a deep breath, and pulls out his gun. He shoots the car’s driver. The car veers, Abby and Michelle scream, and Xavier grabs the steering wheel. He undoes the driver’s seatbelt, opens the door, and pushes the body out of the car. He moves into the driver’s seat.

Abby, “What the fuck?! What the fuck are you doing?!”

Xavier points the gun back at them, “Shut the fuck up or I’ll kill both of you!”

The car speeds away into the darkness.


	31. S4, E6: Not To Be Forgotten, But Still Unorgiven

**“Not To Be Forgotten, But Still Unforgiven”**

(["Fitzpleasure" by Alt-J](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npvNPORFXpc)) Overhead close-up of Amal’s face. He stares blissfully upward, and the camera slowly zooms outward. He’s naked, lying on his back, while a voluptuously fat woman ecstatically rides him. Around him, Amalekites have a BDSM orgy. Amal’s face turns to ecstasy as he reaches a climax. Amalekites whip each other, hump, and writhe in time to the music. The overall feeling is cheap, terrifying, and nasty (nasty nasty not sexy nasty). They are in a cavernous abandoned mansion that still has some decaying, sheet-covered furniture, and lots of creepy taxidermy.

o At the safehouse, David wanders around the AFG safehouse, and says to Shay, “Do you think it’s weird that Abby and Michelle haven’t come back yet?”

Shay, “I dunno, maybe they got lost.”

David, “Someone would have called.”

o Xavier points his gun at Abby and Michelle, “SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Michelle sobs and Abby clutches her.

Abby, “Where are you taking us?!”

Xavier, “That doesn’t matter! Just shut up!”

o The Amalekites continue their orgy in a huge, abandoned mansion, hidden in the woods, the former Cross family summer home outside of Temperance. The car parks in the driveway, and several armed Amalekites hurry Abby and Michelle out of the back seat, and into the mansion. The orgy continues, and Amal walks through it all, still naked, messiah-like. Abby and Michelle are brought and made to kneel in the orgy room. (end music)

Amal smiles at them, “Hello, ladies.” They look up at Amal, and the orgy going on behind him.

Abby, “Oh my fucking god, seriously, an orgy?! How many cult clichés are you assholes going to hit?!”

Amal smirks at her, “Are you sure that’s the language you want to use right now?”

Abby: “Suck my DICK, Greg! I know how kidnappings work!”

One of the kidnappers clubs her over the head with the butt of a gun.

Michelle, “Abby!”

Abby holds her head up, blood dripping down her forehead, “What the fuck do you want from us?”

Amal, “To put an end to kings. Destroy society. Re-build from the ashes. You know, cliché cult shit. But I need your help.”

Abby, “Can you at least put some pants on? I’m a lesbian. I can’t help you with your balls in my face.”

Amal smiles at her, “I like you. But that doesn’t mean I won’t kill you when it’s necessary. You are in luck for the time being, however, because you and your girlfriend are gonna help me get King Silas’s attention. He’s sort of taken to saying that I’m dead, and, well, I’m not. After I worked so hard to get him to recognize that all my hard work was in fact me, and not David Shepherd, it’s more than a little disheartening to hear that I’ve been dismissed as dead.”

Abby, “What do you want us to do?”

  * David paces furiously around the safehouse while everyone sits around in a tense mood.



David, “This is wrong, this is wrong, this is wrong!”

Joel, “I think we get that this is wrong.”

David, “We have to declare them missing! We have to!”

Shay, “That can potentially give away our position.”

Asher, “We don’t even know for sure what’s going on.”

David, “Abby and Michelle are fucking missing! The police found the driver of their car, shot dead! Something fucked up is happening!”

Jack, “Okay, yelling isn’t going to make this situation better. Let’s start with the most basic question: if they’re missing, what could have happened?”

David, “I don’t know what happened!”

Jack, “But what does it look like what happened?”

David, “I-it looks like they may have been kidnapped.”

Jack, “Who would want to kidnap them, and who has the capabilities?”

David, “Silas. Or… the Amalekites.”

Jack, “If it were Dad, we’d immediately see news reports about Michelle being brought back to the palace.”

David, “So it’s the Amalekites! Which is just fucking great because we all know what a reasonable fucking person Alek Amal is! Jesus, I should have known that it was a trap! That guard who wanted to help Frankie out- it was too easy! And now we don’t even have intel anymore!”

Joel, “Aram and Moab are still sending reports.”

David, “Well, that’ll be fucking great if Amal takes them to Aram or Moab!”

Jack, “So what do you want to do, then?”

David sighs deeply, “We have to announce that they’re missing. Maybe we can appeal to Silas-”

Jack interrupts, “You saw what he did to Frankie. Abby will be lucky if Dad finds her and that’s all she gets.”

David, “Okay, so there’s risks in announcing that they’re missing, but it’s gonna be worse if we don’t! If people know they’re missing, they know to be looking, and maybe someone saw something and can tell us! Am I right?” He looks at Shay.

Shay, “It’s your decision, David. Either way, Abby and Michelle are in a fuckload of trouble.”

  * Silas, Abner, and Rose stand watching a TV screen with David’s face on it.



David, “Abigail Hatch and Michelle Benjamin are missing. They didn’t return from a mission last night, and we have reason to believe they’re in danger. We have no clues as to where they might be, or who may have taken them, if this is indeed a kidnapping. In light of recent events, I personally believe the Amalekites may have something to do with this, but I can’t confirm anything. With that being said, I beg the public to please help us find them. They’re an essential part of our AFG family, and we’re all very worried. Thank you.” The video ends.

Silas, “What a load of shit.” Rose and Abner look at him.

Rose, “Silas, we have to take this seriously!”

Silas, “I don’t know what Shepherd’s up to, but this is obviously some kind of decoy. He thinks he can use Michelle to lure me into some sort of trap. I’m not falling for it.”

Rose, “Michelle is in danger!”

Silas, “Alek Amal is dead. The Amalekites have been dealt with. There is no danger.”

Rose, “You know that’s not true!” she looks at Abner, “And you know that’s not true! You knew the Amalekites were still dangerous, but you were too chickenshit to say anything!”

Abner, “I follow the word of my king.”

Rose points at Abner, “This is all your fault.”

Silas, “Rose, please!”

Rose tears up, “What are you going to do, Silas? You can’t just sit back and let something happen to Michelle. You can’t!”

Silas, “And something isn’t going to happen to Michelle, because she’s not in danger! Shepherd is trying to fool me.”

Rose, “Why, Silas? Why would he do that?! What could he possibly gain by announcing that Michelle is missing?!”

Silas, “He’d make me look like a fool.”

Rose, “Like a prank? You really think David is just…. pulling a big prank on you?”

Silas stares at her for a long moment, “The Amalekites suit his narrative, that I’m such an unpopular king that everyone wants me overthrown. I can’t give into that.”

Tears fill Rose’s eyes, “You have to save Michelle! You have to! If you’re the one who saves her, we can bring her back home!”

Silas, “I’ll look into it. I have to confirm that she is, indeed, missing. And if she is, I’ll wipe the Amalekites from the face of this planet. But until then, I’m not going to say anything publicly.”

  * Jack goes up to David, holding a laptop, “I think I may be on to something.”



David looks up hopefully, “What?”

Jack sits down next to him, “I don’t know if this is a logical conclusion to make, or just me wanting to blame everything on an easy target, but, do you remember when you said it looks like Amal has someone powerful protecting him?”

David, “Yeah.”

Jack brings up images on the computer, “All the weapons recovered from the Western Mall attackers were CrossGen products.”

David, “CrossGen makes a lot of products. That’s not all that surprising.”

Jack, “New CrossGen products. Brand-spanking factory fresh new. Most terrorist organizations get weapons that have been funneled through the black market. They get cheap, readily-available weapons that that cause the most amount of damage for the least amount of money. New guns are pricy.”

David, “Maybe Amal has expensive taste.”

Jack, “Here’s the second thing. There’s been a number of reported sightings of Amal in Moab.”

David, “People say they see Amal all over the place, I know you know that false sightings are ridiculously common.”

Jack, “Specifically, there was a spike in reported sightings in Mizpah. In the Palm Glades neighborhood. That’s where Uncle William lives.”

David, “That’s a pretty big jump to conclusions.”

Jack, “I know, which is why I’m still not one hundred percent sure, but, we know he’s supported terrorists in the past. This is something he’d do. It may not be an answer, but it’s a direction to go in.”

  * Abby and Michelle huddle together, locked in a dark closet.



Michelle whispers to Abby, “I have to get my jacket back.”

Abby, “Why?”

Michelle, “My meds are in my jacket.”

Abby, “Shit. Don’t tell them that. Maybe you can just tell them they’re vitamins or something.”

Michelle, “It’s not that hard to google Rapamune! Everyone knows about my transplant, it’s not gonna be that hard to figure out what they’re for!”

The door opens, and two Amalekites grab them roughly and pull them out.

Abby, “What the fuck? What are you doing?”

They get led through the house and into a large dining room where Amal sits at the dining table with plates full of dinner in front of him and two empty chairs.

Amal, “Dinner, ladies?”

Abby and Michelle stare without saying anything.

Amal, “Come on, you must be hungry. I know for a fact that you haven’t eaten anything since you got here.”

The Amalekites push Abby and Michelle into their seats.

Amal, “I wanted to talk to you.”

Abby and Michelle stare down at their food.

Amal, “It’s not poisoned or anything.” He reaches over, cuts off a piece of Abby’s food, and eats it, “See? If I’m gonna cause suffering, it’s gotta be the right kind of suffering.”

Abby gives Amal a furious glance, and then picks up her knife and fork and starts eating. Michelle doesn’t eat anything.

Abby whispers to Michelle, “Just eat.” Reluctantly, Michelle starts eating.

Amal smiles, “As I was saying. I wanted to talk to you.”

Abby, “About what?”

Amal, “How can I get King Silas to acknowledge me? David Shepherd announced that you two are missing a few hours ago, and Silas still hasn’t responded. I thought for sure kidnapping his little girl would get his attention, but he hasn’t said anything! No acknowledgement at all! It’s so aggravating!”

Abby, “Maybe you can say you want to be king. He seems to listen to people who say that.”

Amal makes a face, “Yeah, that kind of goes against the whole tear society down thing I’m going for.”

Abby, “Then I don’t know. You’re fucked.”

Amal looks at Michelle, “What about you, your highness?”

Michelle, “I don’t know.”

Amal, “Oh, come on, you’re his daughter!”

Michelle, “I haven’t spoken to him since I defected. A lot has changed since then.”

Amal looks at her for a moment, thinking carefully, “Tell me about your childhood.”

Michelle casts him a side-eye, “What about it?”

Amal, “Surely you have a few fond memories of your father.”

Michelle, “All the fond memories I have were tainted when I learned how he’d lied to me about Seth.”

Amal, “Oooooh, juicy drama! Come oooon, spill the dirt! I want to know more about little Princess Michelle and her daddy.”

Michelle glares at him, “When I was sick, Silas used to read to me from The Wizard of Oz. There’s a whole series of Oz books. We tried to read all of them. I don’t think we ever did.”

Amal, “That’s cute, but that’s boring. Surely you have a few more memorable experiences.”

Michelle sighs in annoyance, “After I got my transplant, and I’d been through the physical therapy afterwards, Silas took me fishing, and we spent the night camping on Mt. Gilboa. I’d never done anything like that, and it was absolutely incredible. A couple of weeks later, Jack came home for the summer, and I was telling him about it, and he said he wished he could have gone with us. Silas told him it was supposed to be special father/daughter time and berated him for being selfish. I was too afraid to speak up and say that I’d wished Jack had been there, too. I used to ignore that part of the story, just remember the trip and being with my father, but now I can’t separate the two. There was always something I had to ignore or dismiss, or I didn’t know about, like the fact that when he took breaks from reading to me, it was because he was going to fuck the nurse. She was a woman that I adored, and he knew that I adored her. So I don’t know what my father really loved: me, or the idea of me. So there. If you want to hurt Silas, you can hurt him with that.”

Amal makes a face, “Yeah, that kind of emotional pain is all good and well, but the thing is, I’m much more into causing physical pain. I was kind of hoping you’d help me with that.”

  * Abner steps into Rose’s office. Rose sits at her desk.



Abner, “You wanted to speak to me, ma’am?”

Rose stands and walks over to Abner, “Yes. I want you to know that I am blaming this mess, and everything that happens because of it, entirely on you.”

Abner, “I beg your pardon?”

Rose, “When was the last time you ever spoke up to Silas?”

Abner, “I warned him against letting the AFG use Michelle as a human shield.”

Rose, “So that explains how she came to get shot. Why did you ever let Silas carry on with this mad delusion that Alek Amal was somehow dead and the Amalekites were no longer a threat?”

Abner, “Silas wanted a reason to pick up the fight against Shepherd again.”

Rose, “You can fight Shepherd and still recognize the Amalekites as a separate threat.”

Abner, “It’s better to not give Shepherd an opportunity to make a display of heroics.”

Rose, “I am so very tired of your excuses. You’ve never been able to say no to Silas, even when his daughter’s life is on the line.”

Abner, “His _traitor_ daughter.”

Rose, “When was the last time you spoke to your daughter? I know since you and Giselle were divorced, it’s been difficult for you to find time to spend with Emma, but I sometimes wonder if you’re even making an effort.”

Abner, “That’s completely irrelevant. Emma, at least, still speaks to me.”

Rose, sharply, “Linus, you are in charge of finding Michelle and bringing her home. If you fail, and if Michelle is harmed in any way, I’ll have your head. I’ll mount your skull right over there.” She points to a blank space on a bookshelf.

Abner, “You aren’t the king. Silas will never let you near me.”

Rose smirks, “Oh? Do you really think, if it came down purely to who Silas is loyal to, that he would choose you, his old army flunky who has done nothing but grovel at his feet, over me, his wife and his queen, who he has adored since childhood, and who made him king?”

Abner glares at her, knowing she’s right, “It won’t reach that point.”

Rose, “It had better not.”

Abner, “Because the Benjamin monarchy is still without an heir.”

Rose, “Once Michelle is brought home, Jack will follow.”

Abner, “Jack is an ungrateful spoiled brat who inherited none of his father’s wisdom or leadership capabilities.”

Rose, icily, “Better a spoiled brat than a lap dog. Silas needs a general, not a sycophant.”

Abner, “I will continue to do as I feel is right.”

Rose, “I’ve given you your orders. Do I need to clarify them?”

Abner pauses for a moment, glaring at her, “No. I understand them.”

Rose, “Then you know what you have to do. You may leave, now.”

Abner nods, and then turns and leaves. Rose stares at the door for a moment, and then goes and pours herself a drink. She takes a sip, as if trying to reassure herself.

  * Everyone sits around, listening to Jack, who has a computer, “I’ve made a list of possible places that Amal could be hiding out, based on the assumption that William is helping him. These are all just guesses, but we can try sending out some scouts to check out the area.”



David, “What do you got?”

Jack, “The old Cross family summer home near Temperance. It’s big, it’s abandoned, and somewhere Dad will never look. If I were gonna put money on one location, it’d be there. There’s a few other properties that William owns, and some CrossGen warehouses, but, Amal seems to like the grand gesture.”

Joel, “Yeah, but, doesn’t that feel a bit too easy?”

Jack, “Do you have a better guess? Where else could they be?”

Shay, “We can send out a small scouting party. Easy. If nobody’s there, we’ll find somewhere else to look. If someone is there-”

David interrupts, “We’ll make a plan. Dramatic rescues are kind of my thing. I’ve faced down Amal once. I’m not afraid of doing it again.”

Joel, “Look, all I’m gonna say is, every time something’s been this easy, there was a reason for it. If we’re gonna do this, we need to be prepared.”

  * The next day, Silas sits in the council chamber surrounded by advisors. Abner sits beside him. Rose sits in the gallery, glaring at Abner.



Silas, “I want Michelle brought home. I don’t know if the alleged danger that she’s in is real, but I’m tired of not knowing. I want my daughter brought safely back to the palace. How are we going to accomplish this?”

Abner, “The best plan, sir, is to redouble our efforts against Shepherd. If we can find his location, we can send in an extraction team to get Michelle.”

Rose stands up, “She’s not with Shepherd! You need to look for the Amalekites!”

Silas, frankly, “The Amalekites have been dealt with.”

Suddenly, a small bomb planted underneath one of the chairs of the advisors goes off. The table flies up and protects Silas and Abner from the force of the explosion, but those sitting around the bomb are hit. Security men rush to grab Silas and Rose and pull them away from the danger.

Silas pulls away from the security guys, “No! No! It takes more than a bomb to scare me!”

The TV screens in the council chamber flicker on. ([“Nobody’s Listening” Linkin Park](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ87793QXes)) They show a terrifying tableau: Alek Amal wearing a velvet smoking jacket and holding a glass of brandy, with a roaring fireplace next to him, and the fat woman in bondage gear from earlier sitting in a high-backed chair on his other side, holding a taxidermied fox. Abby and Michelle kneel at Amal’s feet, with two guards in rubber gimp masks pointing guns at them. A Fistopia Music Festival poster hangs over the mantlepiece of the fireplace. Silas stares in horror at the scene.

Amal raises his glass, “Hello, your majesty, the great and terrible King Silas! I’ve been trying to get your attention for a while now, but that’s proven very difficult to do, so, I find myself needing to add… a little bang to my message. You should know who I am. My name is Alek Amal. Somehow, you seem to have gotten the idea that I’m dead. I’m making this little announcement to tell you that in this instance, you are wrong. I am very much alive. And my life is pretty damn good right now.”

He takes a sip of his brandy and smiles, “I do have to commend you on doing a tremendous job on fighting General Shepherd and the Army of Free Gilboa. Do-gooders like Shepherd tend to make my job as a terrorist very difficult, and you and your army have kept him tied up enough that I’ve managed to set myself up quite comfortably here. Now, of course, you should recognize my two guests as Miss Abigail Hatch, and your daughter, Princess Michelle Benjamin. Say hello to the king, girls.”

He roughly kicks Michelle. She and Abby both look up at the camera and give a half-hearted, “Hello.”

Amal addresses Silas again, “Now, you and I seem to have a shared interest in torturing our prisoners. Whereas you seem to be fond of beatings, electrocutions, broken bones and whatnot, and I must admit I’m fond of all that, too, but, I like to flex my creative muscle from time to time,”

He holds up a medicine bottle, “I found this in Princess Michelle’s jacket pocket,” he rattles the bottle, “Looks important. Tell me, your highness, what is Rapamune?” He kicks her again.

Michelle, through gritted teeth, “It’s an immunosuppressant.”

Amal: “And why do you take it?”

Michelle, “It stops my body from rejecting my heart transplant.”

Amal: “What happens when the body rejects a transplanted organ?”

Michelle glares at him, “The immune system recognizes the new DNA as foreign and attacks it.”

Amal, “Oooh. That sounds bad. What happens after that?”

Michelle, “The organ fails. You either have to get a new transplant or die.”

Amal opens the bottle and dumps the pills into the fire.

He goes on talking, “That must be pretty painful. How long does that take?”

Michelle, “Anywhere from between two weeks to several months.”

Amal, disapprovingly, “Hm. Well, I don’t have two weeks to several months. Luckily, there’s this,” He takes a syringe from the mantlepiece, “Hizentra. Used to treat immune deficiency. Should get your immune system functioning right in no time at all.”

He jabs the syringe into Michelle’s arm, and she cries out.

Amal grins smugly, “There you have it, your majesty! I guess this message also goes out to General Shepherd, too. If you want to save these charming ladies, you’re kind of pressed for time. Anyway, I’ve enjoyed talking to you. I look forward to seeing your monarchy destroyed, and the rest of society along with it. Farewell for now!” He raises his glass in a toast.


	32. S4, E7: Tolstoy Once Said

**“Tolstoy Once Said”**

Silas stares gawking silently at a blank TV screen, while in the background, security struggles to deal with the aftermath of the bombing.

Rose is still in the gallery, “Silas! Silas!”

She runs down and grabs his arm, “Silas, they’re in the old summer house! I know that fireplace!”

A security guard, “Ma’am, we have to get you to a secure location!”

Rose and Abner follow as the guards lead them away from the council chamber, towards a safe room.

Abner, “Silas, what do you want me to do?”

Silas remains blank and doesn’t say anything.

Abner, “Silas?”

Silas sits down in a chair and continues to stare out into space.

Rose goes over and kneels beside him, holding his hands, “Silas! Silas, look at me!”

Silas blinks and mutters, “I- I have to find Kathleen.”

Abner, “What? Who is Kathleen?”

Rose, “Silas, Kathleen is fine, it’s Michelle who’s in danger! Michelle!”

Silas, “I have to find Kathleen!” He stands up and walks towards the door, calling, “Kathleen!”

A guard stops him, “Sir, you can’t leave yet.”

Silas, “I have to find Kathleen!”

The guard looks at Rose in confusion, “Kathleen? Who’s Kathleen?”

Rose, “His sister!”

Abner, “Silas doesn’t have a sister.”

Rose casts him a contemptuous look, “She died before you came into the picture.” She goes over to Silas and gently pulls him away from the door.

She speaks gently, “Come on, Silas, we’ll find her.”

Abner, “He’s never talked about her.”

Rose, “Doesn’t mean he doesn’t think about her,” she turns to Silas, “You rest here, I’ll go look for Kathleen.”

Abner, “Why is he talking about her now?”

Rose, “You wouldn’t understand.”

Abner stares at her, “What- what are we supposed to do now? I have no orders on what to do in this situation!”

Rose, “You’re going to get your shit together, do your job, and save my daughter!”

  * Jack, Shay, and David crouch in the woods, staring at the old Cross mansion through a pair of binoculars. A large group of AFG soldiers are behind them. They see two Amalekites laughing by an empty swimming pool.



Jack, “This has gotta be it. They have to be in there.”

Shay, “Do you know anything about the layout?”

Jack, “No.”

David, “That place is fucking huge, there’s lots of hiding places.”

Shay, “Especially if it’s got secret passages and underground tunnels and shit rich people always have.”

Jack, “Where’s Amal? He’s the one they’re going to try to protect.”

David, “I don’t know. The best we can do is just fucking go. Jack, you take your unit through the west side entrance, I’ll get the eastern side entrance, Shay, see if you can take out those two by the pool and go to the rear entrance.”

Shay, “All right.”

Everyone moves quickly and quietly through the woods. Shay screws a silencer onto her gun and takes aim. She quickly dispatches the two Amalekites with two shots.

o David leads his unit up to the side door. An Amalekite sticks a gun out through a back window and opens fire towards Shay’s unit, who return fire.

o At the other side, Jack blasts open the lock on the door and enters the house.

o In a dark closet, Michelle and Abby huddle.

Abby raises her head to the sound of gunfire, “Do you hear that?”

Michelle, “Yes!”

Abby, “Oh, god, please be the AFG,” she creeps towards the closet door, “Do you think if they’re distracted, we can get out?”

Michelle, “If it’s David, he’ll find us.”

Abby quietly turns the knob on the door and opens the door a crack. A gun goes off and a bullet strikes the wall above her head. She quickly slams the door shut and retreats to the back of the closet.

o In the downstairs area, David hears the shot, and looks up, “They have to be up there! Come on!”

o Shay kicks open then back door and her unit rushes into the large ballroom. Amalekites take cover and fire back at them.

  * A soldier briefs Rose and Abner in the situation room, “Troops are on their way, there’s reports of gunfire near the Cross home, the AFG may already be there.”



Abner, “Good, we’ll use this opportunity to take them out.”

Rose steps up, “Do not put Michelle in any unnecessary danger! This is a rescue mission, and nothing more!”

The soldier looks between Abner and Rose, conflicted, “I… what orders does King Silas give?”

Rose, “I am giving orders on Silas’s behalf!”

Abner, “And I’m still the commander of the army, take out as many AFG soldiers as you can!”

Rose, “Remember your previous orders, Linus, your priority is Michelle’s safety, and nothing else.”

Abner glares at her, “But Michelle remains the priority.”

The soldier nods, still conflicted, “I will relay the orders.”

  * David leads his unit up a staircase, and into a long hallway, “Shit, where did the gunfire come from?”



One of the soldiers, Ryan, “I think over there.”

David, “All right, come on.”

They move slowly along the hallway, opening doors and clearing rooms. David opens one door, and several Amalekites fire at him, he ducks, and then returns fire.

o In the closet Abby hears the gunshots, and clutches Michelle close to her.

o David speaks into his headset, “I think this is the room, get some backup up here!”

o Jack and Shay lead their units up staircases, slowed down by firing Amalekites.

  * Silas sits on a sofa, Kathleen sitting beside him.



Silas, “What do you think it’s like, being rich like the Crosses?”

Kathleen, “Probably pretty nice.”

Silas makes a wry half-smile, “You should hear Rose talk about how much she fights with her father and William. All that money, and you still can’t buy happiness.”

Kathleen, “Tolstoy once said, ‘All happy families are alike, all unhappy families are unique in their unhappiness.’ Or something like that, I’m not sure of the exact words.”

Silas laughs, “Alister and William deserve their misery, then. Rose, at least, deserves to be happy.”

Kathleen, “You know she’s only with you so she can make Alister and William mad, right?”

Silas, “No! You don’t see what she’s like when we’re alone! She tells me things, she says I’m smart and I’m better than this shithole of a town. She wants to see me do great things. No one else has ever said that about me.”

Kathleen rolls her eyes, “You’re a lost cause, Si.”

  * David looks into the room, no one is firing back. He goes in and checks the corners, it’s clear. He sees the closet door and opens it. Abby and Michelle cower in the back.



Abby, “Oh my god, David!” She rushes forward and hugs him.

David, “Michelle, are you alright?”

Michelle stands up, and says, “I’m a little short of breath, but I think as long as you get me out of here, quick, I’ll be alright.”

Abby lets go of David, and David goes over to Michelle and takes her arm, “We’ve got a medic nearby, if you need it, and we’ve got a doctor back at the safe house, she’s gonna get you treated and monitored and make sure everything’s all right.”

He moves to get her out of the close. Suddenly, a tear gas canister crashes through a window and begins filling the room with gas. David pulls Michelle out of the room, and Abby runs out, following the soldiers in a different direction.

o Shay looks out a window and sees a huge number of Gilboan soldiers rushing towards the mansion, “Oh, fuck, the army’s here!”

David, “Get out, get into the woods and back to the safe house!”

o Jack and Shay both rush downstairs, but are chased by gunshots as they reach the ground floor.

o David, separated from the rest of his unit, pulls Michelle down the hallway, looking for a staircase.

Michelle, “There’s stairs over there.” She points to a doorway.

David pulls her along, but suddenly, a hidden door opens and Amal steps out, right in front of them. He thrusts a large knife into David’s stomach, and the two stare hard into each other’s eyes for an agonizingly long moment.

Michelle screams, “David!”

Amal ducks back into the doorway and shuts it.

David collapses to the floor, clutching his stomach, “Get out of here, just go!”

Michelle runs down the stairway, but she’s met by Gilboan soldiers, who grab her and drag her away, “We have the princess, let’s go!”

David struggles to his feet, “I’ve been stabbed, I need assistance!”

o Jack yells to his unit, “We’re going back!” He turns around and goes back to the room he just came from, where the Gilboans struggle to pull Michelle away.

Michelle, “Jack!”

Jack fires at the soldiers, but they fire back, and others take Michelle away. Jack frantically looks from Michelle to the staircase that will lead him to David, torn between which direction to go on. Finally, he breaks away and rushes up the stairs.

He reaches David, “What the fuck happened?!” He kneels down and helps him to his feet.

David, panting, “It was Amal!”

Jack, “C’mon, I’m getting you out of here.”

They go down the staircase.

Jack, “Okay, we’re getting out of here, Shay, can you hold the army off?”

Shay, “Gotcha.”

Jack carefully rushes David out of the house and towards the woods, while the other soldiers fire back at the house and retreat.

  * At the front of the house, the soldiers push Michelle into a transport vehicle, “We’ve got you, your highness! You’re going to be all right!”



Michelle still fights against them, “Bullshit! Where are you taking me?!”

Soldier, “We have orders to take you to the nearest hospital and keep you under guard.”

Michelle, “Let me go!”

The transport starts driving and Michelle looks on in despair as the mansion moves away behind her.

  * In the woods, a medic, Cameron, lifts up David’s shirt and looks at the wound, “Oh, shit, we’ve gotta get him to the safe house.”



Jack, “No shit! The army’s gonna be all over the roads, fuck! We have to go through the woods, can we move him?!”

Cameron, “I’ve got a collapsible stretcher we can use, but first I’ve gotta get him bandaged up as best I can.” Shay and Abby come rushing up, other soldiers behind them.

Shay, “What the fuck happened?!” Cameron takes David’s shirt off, puts packing over the wound, and wraps David’s stomach in gauze.

Jack, “Amal stabbed him, we’ve gotta go through the woods.”

Abby pants, “Wait! Where’s Michelle?!”

Jack, “The army got her.”

Abby, “What?!”

Jack, “She’s the princess, they’re not gonna let anything bad happen to her, and David needs a doctor, right now!”

Abby, “We’ve gotta go get Michelle!”

Jack, “We can’t!”

David looks at Abby, “He’s right, we can’t.”

Shay, “Come on, if they’re gonna come after us, we’ve got to get out of here.”

Cameron takes the collapsible stretcher out of his medic kit and unfurls it. He and Jack move David onto it and lift him.

Abby stares back at the mansion, “I can’t just leave Michelle!”

Shay gently puts a hand on her arm, “Come on, we have to go.” She pulls on her, and Abby follows, still staring backwards.

Jack, “We’ll get Michelle back. There’s gotta be something we can do.”

  * The soldier from earlier goes into the situation room, “Princess Michelle has been recovered.”



Rose breathes a dramatic sigh of relief and touches her face.

Soldier, “She’s being taken to the hospital in Temperance.”

Rose, “No, you can’t bring her there.”

Soldier, “It’s the nearest hospital, and she needs to be looked at by a doctor.”

Rose, “Anywhere but Temperance. Silas and I aren’t going back there. Take her to the nearest army base, that way the AFG won’t be able to get to her.”

Soldier, “Very well, ma’am.”

Abner, “Any reports on casualties?”

Soldier, “No reports of casualties on our side. The Amalekites seem to have taken heavy losses, and the number of AFG casualties has yet to be determined.”

Abner, “Excellent.”

Rose, “Prepare a flight, Silas and I are going to see Michelle.” She turns and exits the room. She goes into an elevator and up into the residence.

  * Back on the couch, Silas talks to Kathleen, “I dunno if I can buy you a house like the Cross house, but I’ll get you out of here, Kathleen. I swear.”



The door opens and Rose rushes in, “Silas! They’ve got Michelle! She’s safe!” Silas stares at her.

She goes over and puts her hands on his shoulders, “Michelle! We have our daughter back!”

Silas glances back at where Kathleen was sitting, but it’s empty.

Rose, “You need to get ready, Silas, we’re going to see her. I told them not to take her to the Temperance hospital, so she’s going to the army base. Camp Berring, you did your basic training there, remember?”

Silas looks back up at Rose, “Michelle… is safe.”

Rose takes a deep breath, tears fill her eyes, and she nods, “She is. She’s coming back to us!” She hugs Silas.

Relief sweeps over Silas, and his eyes tear up, “Oh, thank god!”

  * David stares up at the sky shining through gaps in the trees, “I fucking hate the woods.”



Cameron, “Try not to move. Any movement could cause further damage.”

David grimaces.

Jack, “We’re getting close, just hang on.”

A message crackles over the radio, “There’s been a raid at the safehouse!”

Shay takes her radio and speaks into it, “What?”

Joel’s voice, “The army’s here, we’re going into the woods!”

Everyone stops walking.

Shay, “David’s been wounded, he needs the doctor!”

Joel, “I’ve got Dr. Alves with me, if she’s gonna do anything to David, she’s gotta do it in the woods! Send us your location.”

Shay hands the radio to Abby, grabs her phone, and starts pressing buttons.

Cameron, “What the hell are we gonna do? You don’t fuck with abdominal injuries! If he’s got organ damage, he needs actual surgery!”

Shay takes the radio, “You come towards us, we’ll go towards you, meet somewhere in the middle, and uh, fuck! Try thinking of somewhere else we can go, because David for real needs a doctor.”

Asher’s voice comes over the radio, “There next nearest safehouse is forty miles away.”

Jack, “There has to be somewhere we can go!”

Abby, “How far away is the Gath army? I know they’ve been going into Gilboan territory, they’ve got to be close.”

David, “Gath?! Again? I can’t fucking go to Gath!”

Abby, “The sanctuary deal is still in place, we can go!”

Shay, “They’re closer, maybe twenty miles, I’m not sure. They may be able to send a transport vehicle.”

David, “I am not going back to Gath!”

Cameron, “If you don’t go somewhere, you’re gonna die, David.”

Jack, “He’s right, Gath may be our only option.”

David, “They won’t let me in! I’ve blown up too many of their tanks!”

Abby, “I can still send an asylum request. It’s either Gath or figuring out how the hell we’re gonna get you to the next safehouse before you bleed to death.”

David, “Just get me to the doctor! She can do something!”

  * Andrew paces in a room with a TV on, desperately trying to get in touch with his father, “The old Cross home! The Gilboan Army is attacking the old cross home, and somehow the Amalekites and the AFG are there! I need to talk to my father! (beat) No, I am not going to take answers from his secretary, I want answers from my father, and no one else! I don’t care if I have to wait, just get him!”



  * Michelle sits in a hospital bed at the army base hospital. The door opens, and Rose and Silas enter. Silas rushes towards Michelle, arms outstretched, but before he can hug her, she spits in his face.



Michelle, “Don’t you dare fucking touch me.”

Silas wipes the spit from his face.

Rose goes over and puts her hand over Michelle’s, “You’re safe! We were so scared when we heard you’d been kidnapped!”

Michelle, “So you just re-kidnapped me. The AFG was perfectly capable of rescuing me, and you know it.”

Silas, “Michelle,” he looks at her, eyes full of tenderness, “I have missed you so much. You know how much I love you.”

Michelle’s eyes fill with tears, and she furiously hisses, “Do not give me that bullshit right now! I am not your daughter, I am your hostage!”

Rose, matter-of-factly, “Once the doctor clears you to leave, you’re coming back to Shiloh with us.”

Michelle, “You can’t drag me there! I’m going back to the AFG, to be with Abby, and Jack, and David!”

Rose, “We have you under guard. You aren’t going anywhere. Your father and I have been under immense strain since Seth died-”

Michelle interrupts, furiously, “DO NOT mention Seth to me!”

Rose finishes, “We need to be a family again.”

Michelle, “We never were a family! When you sent Jack away, and hid Seth from us, we stopped being a family!”

Rose, “Well, you’re still coming back with us, like it or not.”

Michelle, “Where’s Helen?”

Rose, “She’s no longer at the palace.”

Michelle, “Where is she?”

Rose, “Somewhere private where she can grieve in peace.”

Michelle, “Did you lock her in the dungeon, too?!”

Rose, “I told you, she’s no longer at the palace.”

Michelle, crying, “I hate you. I hate both of you. And I can’t believe you’d resort to this just to get me back.”

Silas gently puts his hand over hers, “I still love you, Michelle.”

  * Dr. Alves examines David’s stomach, “All right, so we’ve got a penetrating abdominal wound. I don’t know how much damage is in there until I perform a laparotomy.”



David, “What?”

Alves, “I have to cut your stomach open and take a look. I can do that with a medic’s kit. I can load you up with morphine, but I don’t have anesthesia.”

David, “Oh, fuck.”

Alves, “When I get in there, I can try to repair the damage, but these conditions aren’t good. Repairing damaged organs takes lots of time and really careful work, and I’m running out of daylight. I think the best thing I can do is pack the wounds with gauze to minimize the bleeding, and then get you to a real hospital.”

Abby, “Gath accepted the asylum request.”

David, “I’m still not going there!”

Alves, “If I operate now, the mortality rate is at about ten percent. If it takes more than ten hours to get surgical intervention, the mortality rate jumps to fifty percent.”

Shay, “Tell the Phils to send a transport.”

David looks up at her, “What?!”

Shay, “We’re not fucking around with this, David, it’s either go to Gath or die! You told me to tell you when you’re doing something stupid, and right now, not going to Gath is stupid! Joel and I can stay behind and lead the AFG while you recover, but you, Abby, Asher, and Jack can all go to Gath and just hang out there until you’re better.”

David, “All right! All right! If there’s no other choice…” he pauses, pants, and stares up at the sky above him, “If you’re gonna cut me open, get to it.”

Alves, “All right,” she looks over at Cameron, “Come assist me.” They kneel down beside David, open medic kit between them. Alves pulls out a scalpel.

Jack kneels down next to David, “I’ll hold your hand, all right?” He takes David’s hand, and David gives him a faint, pained smile.

Alves, “First we’re gonna get you nice and high…” She injects morphine into his arm. Then, she removes the bandages on his stomach, and wipes the area down with a disinfectant.  
She holds the scalpel below David’s belly button, “All right, you ready?”

David, “Get it over with.” He squeezes his eyes tight shut and Dr. Alves makes the incision. David squeezes tightly on Jack’s hand and groans through his gritted teeth. Alves clamps open the incision.

Jack looks away, “Oh, yep, those are definitely your intestines. I have no idea why Michelle wants to do this kind of shit.”

David moans.

Alves pokes around, “The damage doesn’t look as bad as it could be. Just some perforations of the small intestine. You’re lucky, David.”

David, teeth still gritted, “Yeah, I’m really lucky.”

  * Andrew finally gets hold of William, “Dad! Dad, what the fuck is going on?”



William, “What do you mean, what’s going on?”

Andrew, “The old summer house! It’s got the army and the AFG attacking it! They’re saying The Amalekites are there!”

William, “Huh. Some coincidence.”

Andrew’s patience drops, but he remains calm and composed, carefully saying, “Dad… did you know the Amalekites were there?”

William, “I don’t know, we sold the house years ago. They probably like the symbolism.”

Andrew, still holding back his anger, “Dad, it’s very important that you don’t lie to me. This affects me and the Gilboan CrossGen operations very much. Did you let the Amalekites use the house?”

William, “Listen, whatever happens, it won’t matter for long. It’s all part of a plan, okay?”

Andrew, “What plan?”

William, “Just trust me. Everything will work out.”

  * The sun sets and casts the woods in golden light and shadow. Dr. Alves keeps working on David while Cameron holds up a light. Jack grimly keeps hold of David’s hand, his brow knitted, deep in thought. Shay, Joel, Asher, and Abby sit grouped nearby. David stares up at the sky, breathing heavily through the pain. Tears leak out the sides of his eyes. Jack leans down and gently kisses David’s forehead.



He whispers in his ear, “You’re doing good. Just hold on.”

Dr. Alves, “All right, I’ve got you all packed, I’m gonna close you up, but another doctor still has to go in and fix you up properly.”

Shay, “The Phils are sending a transport, they’ll be able to get you to a real hospital.”

Dr. Alves carefully sutures the incision closed.

Jack sings softly, “Jealousy, turning saints into the sea…”

A pained smiles flashes across David’s face and he laughs, “Don’t make me laugh.”

Alves snips the thread on the last suture, “All right, you’re all closed up. Now we just gotta wait for the transport.”

Jack sits back up, “You okay, David?”

David, “Still alive. That’s something.”

Jack grins at him, “Hey man, you just survived surgery without anesthesia. I’m pretty sure you’ve just one-upped Michelle in badassery. She’s gonna be so fucking jealous.”

David, “I wouldn’t recommend the experience.”

Jack takes in a deep, nervous breath, “Listen, when the transport gets here, I’m not gonna go with you.”

David, “What?”

Jack, “I have to go be with Michelle.”

David, weakly, “But I need you!”

Jack, “I know! I don’t want to do this, but I have to! With any luck, you’ll get out of Gath quickly, and we can find some way to get back together! But I can’t let Michelle be stuck alone with our parents. Not after Seth.”

David, “How’s that gonna look for us? Like you’ve given up!”

Jack, “Like I’m supporting my sister! We can tell people the truth and say that Michelle was kidnapped! Look, I really, really don’t want to do this, but I know this is what I have to do! And while I’m there, I can do something from within, maybe even get the army actually fighting the Amalekites!”

David, “How are we gonna get you back? There’s no way Silas is ever gonna let you and Michelle out of his sight.”

Jack, “I don’t know! I’ll have to think of that when I get there! But there’s no way Michelle can get out by herself. I’ll find a way to get us both back to you, I promise.”

David closes his eyes and mutters, “Okay.”

The Gath transport arrives. Shay stands up and greets it.

Jack looks over at it, “Come on, let’s get you on there.” He and Cameron pick the stretcher up and carefully lift David into the back of the vehicle. Asher and Abby climb in beside them.

Jack kisses David’s cheek, “I love you.”

David, “I love you, too.”

Abby, “Jack, tell Michelle that I love her.” She wipes tears out of her eyes.

Jack, “Yeah, I will.” He squeezes David’s hand and gives him one last smile. He climbs out, and goes and stands with the others. They watch as the vehicle drives away.

  * ([“Velodrome” Dessa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c8KyRcT020)) That night, transport arrives at a Gath field hospital. Two soldiers take David in and place him on an operating table.



A doctor in surgical scrubs looks down at him, “Once I’m done, we’ll get you on another transport to Ashdod. You’ll probably wake up there,” he takes the bandage off and looks at the incision and sutures on his stomach, “A doctor did this in the woods? You’re lucky to be alive. You made the right decision coming here.”

David: “Let’s hope that stays true.”

o A Gilboan army truck drops Jack off in front of the army base hospital.

Jack goes inside and speaks to the nurse at the front desk. He goes down a hallway and opens the door to Michelle’s room. Silas and Rose stare up at him.

Jack, “Hey, Michelle.”

Rose runs over to Jack and hugs him, tearful, “Jack!”

Michelle, “You shouldn’t have come!”

Jack, looking over Rose’s shoulder, “I had to."

o David wakes up, once again in a hospital room in Ashdod.

Shaw looks down at him, “General Shepherd, pleased to see you’ve joined us again.”

David, “Not by choice.”

Shaw, “Nonetheless, Gath is pleased to have you with us.”

David, “Why? I thought you’d never let me back.”

Shaw smiles eerily, “You’ll see. I have an event scheduled for you this afternoon.”

David, “I have to stay in the hospital.”

Shaw, “Oh, we’ll bring you back here, don’t you worry. But I have something very important for you to see.”

o A limousine pulls up in front of the palace. Throngs of people have come to see the prince and princess return home. The limousine door opens, and Silas and Rose climb out, followed by Jack and Michelle. They both wear black and hold hands tightly. Their parents on either side of them, they approach the front entrance of the palace. Cameras flash as they walk. They enter the palace and climb up the front stairs. At the top, they turn around, and Silas and Rose wave to the crowds.

Silas goes over to a podium, “After the unbearable loss of their little brother, Prince Jack and Princess Michelle have decided to re-join their family here in Shiloh.”

Michelle looks away in disgust.

o David, Asher, and Abby are driven through Ashdod. They look around at the grandstands lining the streets. They stop in front of the palace, where seats are set up on the front steps. They get out and go up to where Shaw and his family stand.

Shaw, “So glad you could make it, General.”

David, “What the hell is this?”

Shaw, “A military parade. Gath has signed a new contract with CrossGen that has re-invigorated our military. Gilboa is near collapse. Silas doesn’t have the resources to fight us any longer, and when his nation collapses, a new king will take over, a new king who isn’t you. I’m afraid you won’t be returning to Gilboa any time soon.”

David, “What? No!”

Shaw, “Just watch the parade, David.”

A line of soldiers fire off a salute, and continue to fire shots in time with the music and the crowd cheers and David looks on in shock and horror.

He looks at Abby, “This can’t be happening!”

Lines and lines of soldiers march along in time with the song, followed by columns of Goliaths, missile launchers, and other vehicles. Shaw and his family cheer and wave. Confetti falls out of the sky, and the crowds cheer. David and Asher sit numb in shock, and Abby weeps.

o Michelle looks around in Seth’s room. She goes over, lays down on his bed, and cries.

o Jack stands in his apartment, which is still untouched, with the TV on. He goes over to the window, and looks out over the city. He glances at the TV, and sees footage of the parade in Gath, with David standing next to Shaw, looking sick. He screams with rage and pounds his fists against the window.


	33. S4, E8: Inheritance

**“Inheritance”**

Flashback: Nighttime, on the tarmac of an airport, a small private jet ready for takeoff in the background. Andrew, William, and Christine gather. Andrew has several suitcases, and he and William are both sharply dressed in dinner suits. Christine is also dressed in dinner attire complete with a fur coat, but her hair is messy, and her makeup is runny and smeared.

Andrew, very serious, “I don’t really understand what’s happening.”

William, “Your Uncle Silas is throwing a tantrum, and because of that, you’re going away for a little while.”

Christine, “It’s banishment, Andrew. This is a very serious punishment.”

William, “I’ve arranged for you to go to Greece. There’s a yacht waiting for you there. You’re going to sail around the Mediterranean until this whole mess boils over.”

Christine, “Five years. Do you know how lucky you are to be getting only five years, and that you’re going to Greece, not Gath? Every single day you wake up from now on, your first thought should be ‘Thank God for Aunt Rose.’ There’s honestly no telling what kind of shit you’d be in if it weren’t for her.”

Andrew, apprehensive, “This won’t change things when I come back, will it? I mean, with my inheritance.”

William, “This changes nothing. You made a childish mistake-”

Christine, “You made a very big mistake.”

William, going on, “And you’re taking this slap on the wrist. When you get back, you’ll make a big deal of having grown up and learned your lesson, and everything will be the same.”

Andrew, “What are you going to do in the meantime?”

William, “I’m going to carry on with business as usual.” He sighs, and there’s an awkward pause.

William, “It’s time to get going.”

Andrew nods nervously.

Christine, “Call me when you land!”

Andrew, “I will.”

William, “I’ll be out to visit you as soon as I can. You should use this opportunity to enjoy yourself and get some sun.”

Christine, “For God’s sake, wear some sunscreen. You burn so easily,” she gives William a deathly glare, “All the Cross men do.”

o William and Christine watch the plane taxi down the runway and take off. Christine shakes her head and cries.

She mutters to William, “You’ve ruined his life.”

William, furious, “Nothing is ruined! This is temporary!”

Christine shakes her head, and turns to leave, “Silas is still king, William.” (END FLASHBACK)

  * Silas, Rose, Michelle, and Jack eat dinner in awkward silence. Michelle still wears all black.



Rose, “It’s so wonderful to finally have dinner as a family again.”

Michelle, “The dinner I had with Alek Amal was much more pleasant. I at least had Abby there.”

Silas, “We’ll find you a boyfriend here. This whole bisexual thing, you must have caught it from Shepherd.”

Michelle, “It’s not the fucking flu!”

Silas, “You’ll get over it, nonetheless.”

Michelle slams her silverware down and stand up, “I’m leaving.”

Rose, “You will have dinner with us!”

Michelle, “Fuck you, Rose.” She walks off. Jack follows her.

Michelle paces in the living room. Jack goes over and hugs her.

Michelle mutters, “I can’t fucking believe them!”

Jack, “We’re gonna get through this.”

Silas enters, followed closely by Rose, “You can hate your mother and I all you want, but you will not disrespect us like this!”

Michelle, sneering, “Or what, you’ll lock us in the dungeon?”

Jack lets go of Michelle and calmly walks over to Silas, “Look, just back off of us for a while, all right? We’re not exactly happy to be here.”

Silas, cruelly, “I know you’d rather have Shepherd giving it to you in the ass.”

Jack, “Yeah, I would, actually.”

Silas, “You were his boyfriend and he didn’t even make you his general! All that dick sucking, and you’re still a colonel!”

Michelle rushes over to Silas, exploding with fury, and shoves him away from Jack, “FUCK YOU! You are not going to talk to Jack like that anymore! You’re the one who wanted us back! From now on, you’re going to treat us with some fucking decency!”

Silas, “And why should I?”

Michelle, shaking, tears in her eyes, “TEN YEARS! We could have had ten years of being Seth’s brother and sister, and instead, we got an HOUR!”

She and Silas stare at each other for a long moment. Silas backs down, if ever so slightly.

Michelle, “Jack and I are here on our terms. There’s going to be rules. You’re going to follow them, or we’ll find a way to leave. We escaped once, and we can do it again. This time, the AFG knows where to find us.”

Rose, “What do you want, Michelle?”

Michelle, “First of all, you’re not going to treat Jack like you did. He’s an amazing person when you’re not screaming at him, and you’re going to treat him as such.”

Silas and Jack exchange looks.

Michelle goes on, “Secondly, I’m not a little girl anymore. I expect to be treated like an adult and allowed to be who I want to be. I’m going to buy my own clothes, I’m going to live in my own apartment, and I’m going to go to med school.”

Rose, “It’s too late to apply.”

Michelle, “I’ve won medals for being a medic, and I’m the fucking princess. I think they’ll make an exception.”

Silas, “You’re just going through your teenage rebellion stage. Soon you’ll want me to read _The Wizard of Oz_ to you!”

Michelle, “I am not Kathleen, Silas!”

Silas’s eyes widen in shock.

Michelle, “I am not the little girl who never grew up! I’ve had sex! I’ve fallen in love! I’ve saved lives! I have had the most incredible experiences, experiences you never would have let me have, because you couldn’t let me grow up! I know what I want, and it’s what I’ve wanted all along: to be a doctor! I was a damn good medic, and I’ll be a damn good doctor! You can’t stop me from being one!”

Silas mutters, “So be a damn doctor, then,” He steps away and looks over at Jack, “What about you? Do you want to be king, now?”

Jack, “Only long enough that I can hand the crown over to David.”

Silas, “Hm. We’ll see about that.” He walks away, towards the bedrooms.

Michelle turns around, “And you aren’t going to lie to us anymore!”

Silas turns back to her, “What?”

Michelle, “That’s the final condition. No more lying. When we ask you a question, you’re going to answer honestly, and not omit anything. We know who you are now. We know about Kathleen, your parents, the farm you grew up on. You can’t hide that from us anymore.”

Silas, “Fine. The lineage of the Benjamin family is nothing but poor white trash, pain tolerance, and a heart condition. You two are heirs to all that. Now you have something to be ashamed of.”

Michelle, “We were already ashamed of _you_.”

Silas, “I’m going to bed. You can save the rest of your righteous fury for the morning.”

Michelle, “Where did you get the scar on your cheek?”

Silas, “What?”

Michelle, “It wasn’t there when we met Seth. What happened?”

Silas, “I fell down the stairs.”

Michelle, “Stop fucking lying!”

Silas, “I’m going to bed, now. No more questions.”

  * Rose sits at her vanity, washing her makeup off. Silas sits in bed, reading a book. Rose gets up and joins him.



Rose, “All that rage. She gets it from you, you know.”

Silas, “Oh no, you are not blaming all of this on me. You make up half of her genetic composition, too. I’ll admit, her mouth, she gets from me. Her tenacity, she gets from me, too. But her outright stubbornness, That’s all you.”

Rose, “Jack is the one who takes after me.”

Silas, “Falling in love with a would-be king and all.”

Rose, wryly, “Exactly,” she sighs heavily, “If our children have turned into what we were, does that mean we’ve turned into our parents?”

Silas, “We are nothing like our parents.”

Rose, “Either we’ve turned into our parents, or we just have horrible children.”

Silas gives her a look, “Do you really want the answer to that?”

Rose, “I guess being a doctor isn’t the worst thing in the world. We could have done much worse.”

  * FLASHBACK In the living room, a tearful Christine and stone-faced Andrew sit on one side, Rose beside them, while on the other side of the room, Jack and Michelle (who has long hair and a pretty princess dress) conspire.



Michelle, in a low, whispered voice, “So has Dad like seriously snapped?”

Jack, “You mean, like, normal person snapped, or _Dad_ snapped? Because he normal person snaps every other day.” They both laugh quietly.

Andrew shoots them a furious look, and they both stop. There’s a yell from the other side of the wall, followed by a sharp thump. Andrew winces, terrified. Jack and Michelle exchange glances, and laugh again, louder this time. Rose stands up and gives them both a sharp glare. Once again, they stifle their laughter. Rose goes into Silas’s office. The door closes. A second later, William enters the room. He looks warily at Jack and Michelle for a moment before joining Andrew and Christine.

He murmurs to Andrew, “You just made him mad. It’s going to be alright.”

Jack, to Michelle, “Thank god it’s not me.” Once again, they exchange a glance, and dissolve into suppressed laughter. (END FLASHBACK)

  * Michelle looks around the empty palace apartment that’s now hers, Thomasina behind her.



Michelle, “I just want something that’s gonna be comfortable. A quiet place I can study, and not have to deal with my parents.”

Thomasina, “I know just who to send.”

Michelle, “It doesn’t have to look like a magazine, I just want it done fast. If I could be sleeping there by tomorrow, that would be great.”

Thomasina’s phone buzzes, and she looks at it, “Your mother has orders for you to come downstairs. Your cousin has come to say hello.”

Michelle, “He can say hi to Rose.”

Thomasina, “She says she’ll come up and get your herself if you don’t come down within five minutes.”

Michelle rolls her eyes and shakes her head, “This is such bullshit.”

Thomasina steps forward and gently puts a hand on her arm, “I know you’re angry.”

Michelle looks at her.

Thomasina, “But it’s a good thing you’re here. Your father needs you, so he can be king.”

Michelle pulls away, “I don’t care about him.”

  * Rose and Christine smoke and eat a light lunch out on a balcony.



Rose, “They’re here, but I don’t know for how long. Jack seems to have resolved to suffer in silence, while Michelle has done nothing but scream at us since she arrived here.”

Christine, “She _is_ just like Silas, isn’t she?”

Rose, “She's worse than Silas. She learned all his tricks and then found ways to make them better. When they were toddlers, Jack was twice her size, but if he dared take one of her toys, she’d full body tackle him and get it back. That’s when I knew that I was indeed raising a Benjamin.” She smiles sadly, and then is overcome with sadness, shaking her head, “I want them to stay here, but honestly, how can Silas and I compete with Shepherd?”

Christine, “You could make peace with Shepherd.”

Rose, “Silas would never agree to it. Besides, peace with him would mean giving up the crown.”

Christine, “Rose, I can’t believe it’s been two years, and you haven’t realized it yet.”

Rose, “Realized what?”

Christine, “What’s more important, your children or the crown?”

Rose, “It’s not that simple.”

Christine, “It's not that complicated.”

  * Inside, Jack and Michelle sit having lunch with Andrew and Chloe.



Chloe, “I know the circumstances kind of suck, but I’m so glad to finally be meeting the two of you. I’ve heard so much about you both.”

Michelle, “Considering Andrew bought a gossip company just to talk shit about us, I’m sure.”

Andrew, “It was an investment opportunity.”

Jack, “So, tell me, Chloe, how did a nice girl like you end up with a creepy piece of shit like our cousin?”

Chloe smiles and flashes her engagement ring.

Jack nods, “That explains it.”

Andrew, “You know Chloe is pregnant. We’re carrying on our family’s legacy.”

Jack, sarcastic, “And it’s such a great legacy, isn’t it?”

Chloe, “So, is it true that you’re dating David Shepherd?”

Jack, “Yeah. Seems Andrew and I share a taste for hot blondes.”

Chloe laughs and snorts, flattered.

Andrew, “I take it you’re unable to reach Shepherd, aren’t you? I saw him on TV celebrating Gath’s renewed weapons contract. I always knew he was a Gath agent.”

Jack looks at Chloe, “Did you know that I spent five days locked up in a cell, all by myself, believing that David was dead, all because Andrew’s father made a stupid plan that was bound to fail, and he didn’t give a fuck what happened to anyone else?”

Chloe, “Um, well, Andrew says his Dad helped him out a lot, so, he’s not all that bad?”

Jack, “Poor thing, you haven’t even met the bastard, have you?”

Andrew, “You have no room to talk when it comes to terrible fathers.”

Jack, “Yeah, but you’ll have to tell me, where is your dad now?”

Michelle speaks up, “I’m sorry you have to listen to all this, Chloe. Our family communicates primarily with insults. It’s just how we work.”

Chloe, “Are you kidding me?! I’ve always wanted to be in the middle of some trashy royal drama! This is GREAT!”

Michelle laughs, “That’s one way to look at it.”

Jack, “Yeah, it’s fun to be a spectator, but trust me, it’s not a place to raise a kid.”

Andrew, “Our child will be happy.”

Jack, “You know Andrew was normal until his parents’ divorce.”

Andrew, “At least I can say that my father is proud of me.”

Jack, “Yeah, well I don’t give a fuck about my dad, and I have something I know you want but don’t have.”

Andrew, sneering, “What?”

Jack, “A boyfriend who loves me.”

  * Reinhardt talks to Silas in Silas’s office. Reinhardt, “Your majesty, I’d like the chance to interrogate the prince and princess-”



Silas, “No.”

Reinhardt, “Sir, I think I could get very valuable intel from them.”

Silas, “You’re smart enough to know that they won’t tell you shit. What do you really want, Caesar?”

Reinhardt sighs and thinks for a moment. Carefully, he says, “I- and a number of other people- have been wondering if the prince has been reinstated as the official heir.”

Silas, “It’s none of your business.”

Reinhardt, “Yes, sir, but you said-”

Silas, “I didn’t say anything. I know you want to be king very badly, and I believe you’d be good at the job, but the issue of my heir is a very personal one. I haven’t made up my mind yet.”

Reinhardt swallows his frustration and puts on his best patient smile, “I understand, sir.”

Silas, “You have to prove to me that you’d be a more fitting heir than my own son.”

Reinhardt, “I will do so. You have my word.”

  * In the palace dressing room, Jack tries on a bright pink tuxedo jacket while Michelle flips through a rack of dresses, “I can’t fucking believe Rose already has events lined up. Showing us off like show ponies. I’m wearing all black as a way to try to protest our kidnapping. I want something black and slutty.”



Michelle looks at a dress, and hangs it on an empty rack. She begins to unzip the dress she’s wearing.

Jack, “Woah, hey, not in front of your brother!”

Michelle takes the dress the rest of the way off, “Oh, please, you are GAY. Besides, if I can live with night after night of listening to you and David fucking in the next tent over, you can live with seeing me in my underwear.” She takes the hanging dress and begins to put it on.

Jack, “We weren’t that loud.”

Michelle mocks him, “ _Oh god, David! David!_ You make these pathetic little whimpering noises.”

Jack, “David loves those little noises.”

Another stylist steps into the room, “Does anyone need any help?”

Michelle looks over, “Monique?!”

Monique stands before them, in sharp male drag, almost unrecognizable from before, “I heard you say you wanted something black and slutty. Well, here I am. And the name’s Javaun. At least while I’m here, it is.”

Jack, lowering his voice, “What the fuck are you doing here? How did you even get in?”

Monique, “After all my years doing drag, you don’t think I can pull off a decent disguise? Why else would I be so good at hiding? And Rinaldo and I go way back. One day he got tired of dressing up drag queens and decided to dress up a real queen.” Monique goes over to the dress rack, “I’m assuming you both know that David’s in Gath.” She helps Michelle zip up the dress she’s trying.

Jack, “Yeah, we were there when he left.”

Monique, “We’ve made a statement explaining the truth, but I don’t know how many people are believing it. A lot of Gilboan patriots are very willing to believe that David’s been a Gath agent, all along.”

Jack, “Our cousin Andrew isn’t helping.”

Monique, “The fact that David can’t leave isn’t making it any better, either.”

Michelle, “What do you mean he can’t leave?”

Monique, “He’s under guard.”

Michelle, “Asher and Abby, too?”

Monique, “Only in Gath will they put an ankle monitor on a fuckin’ rabbi.”

Jack, “Yeah, in Gilboa, we’ll just kill his parents.”

Michelle, “Why won’t they let him leave? I thought Shaw wanted to see Silas overthrown, no matter what.”

Monique, “David’s still in touch with Shay and Joel, and Shay and Joel are in touch with me. From what I’ve been told, Gath just renewed its contract with CrossGen, and Shaw is talking about Gilboa having a new king, who isn’t David.”

Michelle, “You mean William?”

Monique, “He’s the only other possible candidate.”

Jack sits down, “Shit,” he realizes something, “Oh, fuck, and the Amalekites!”

Michelle, “What?”

Jack, “William had this all planned! You and Abby are kidnapped, David goes in for the rescue, he gets wounded, and has to go to Gath to recover, and in the meantime, he looks like he’s on Gath’s side and suddenly all of Gilboa is against the AFG!”

Michelle, “How could William guarantee that David would end up in Gath? We didn’t have that planned. The safehouse was raided.”

Jack, “I don’t know, but everything else makes too much fucking sense to not be true.”

Monique, “David can’t do anything about it, and the AFG can’t do anything about it.”

Michelle, “Jack and I are under guard, too! There’s nothing we can do!”

Jack, “Yeah, there is.”

Michelle, “What?”

Jack, “If William is treating this all as a business transaction, all we have to do is break it.”

Michelle, “You’d have to get control of CrossGen. Not just the Gilboan operations, all of it.”

Jack, “Well, we’re members of the Cross family, aren’t we? If William and Andrew were taken out of the picture, I’d be the next male relative!”

Michelle, “You can’t kill William and Andrew!”

Jack, “I don’t have to. I can do a hostile takeover.”

Michelle, apprehensive, “Jack-”

The door opens, and Silas enters. He looks at Jack and Michelle, who try to go back to acting like usual.

Silas, “Rose said you were in here.”

Michelle, “What do you want, Silas?”

Silas looks disapprovingly at the tiny slip dress Michelle is wearing, “That’s not a dress.”

Monique, “It costs three thousand dollars. It’s a dress.”

Michelle, “I’m thinking of wearing it. It shows off my tattoos. I’m thinking of getting a new one.”

Silas curls a lip in disgust, but doesn’t say anything. He looks over at Jack, “Jesus, you look like a-”

Jack interrupts, “Like a what, Dad?”

Silas doesn’t respond.

Jack smiles with satisfaction, “Yeah, gay insults aren’t going to work anymore. Now that I’m out of the closet, there’s no going back in.”

Silas, “I have something I want to show the both of you.”

Michelle, “What?”

Silas, “Just come and see it. But put some decent clothes on, first.” He turns around and leaves.

Michelle and Monique both look at Jack.

Jack, “I’ll figure it out. Our only other option is an extraction from Gath, and that’s gonna be bloody.”

Monique, “If this doesn’t work, shit could get a lot worse for David.”

Jack, “Well, I’m gonna make sure it works, then!”

Michelle takes her skimpy dress off and starts putting her regular clothes back on, “Whatever. Let’s go see what Silas wants us to see.”

  * FLASHBACK The Crosses and the Benjamins sit at dinner, just tucking into a delicious meal.



Silas to Christine, “I’m honestly surprised you’re here. I thought for sure with the divorce settled, you’d never want to see William again.”

Christine, “Nonsense. Andrew is still my son, and Rose is one of my dearest friends. I’m glad to be here.”

William, “I can tolerate Christine for an hour.”

Silas, subtly sarcastic, “And that’s what makes you such a gentleman, William.”

Aside, Michelle asks Jack to pass the salt. Jack hands it to her, but just as she reaches for it, he pulls it away. She gives him a dirty look and he grins. Andrew sees the exchange and gives them a disapproving stare.

Rose, “How have you been holding up, Andrew? I can’t imagine this has been easy on you.”

Andrew, matter-of-factly, “It’s been difficult, but I’m glad that things have ended amicably.”

Silas, “Amicably? I’ve had negotiations with Gath that were more amicable than that.”

William, “We can’t all be the romantic hero you are, Silas.”

Jack holds the salt mockingly away from Michelle. She snatches it away.

William goes on, “Since you brought it up, how are those negotiations with Gath going?”

Silas, “It’s fucking Gath.”

William, “Luckily for us, CrossGen has been able to maintain our manufacturing demands, but it’s been difficult. The slightest interruption could totally halt out output.”

Silas glares at him, understanding the insinuation. William smirks back.

Silas, “We’re not going to war.”

Jack flicks Michelle’s arm. She tries to swat his hands away. Andrew watches it all in disgust.

William, “I certainly hope not, but your track record on the subject really isn’t the best, is it? I know how much you love a fight.”

Jack flicks the back of Michelle’s ear, and she elbows his ribs with all the force she can muster.

Jack, “OUCH!”

Rose, “Jack, leave your sister alone.”

Andrew mutters, “Completely feral. Typical Benjamin trash.”

Silas slams the table and shoots up. Everyone goes silent. Silas glares down at Andrew, full of fury, and fear crosses Andrew’s face. END FLASHBACK

  * In the living area of the residence sits the trunk full of photos from the Benjamin farm. Silas has the photos arranged out, showing the Benjamins through the years. The oldest pictures are battered tintypes of grim-faced Victorians. Silas stares down at the photos. Jack and Michelle, dressed normally, enter behind him, and see the arrangement.



Silas, “This is it. The Benjamin family, your heritage. You said you wanted to know it all, well, here it is. I tried to hide it from you, but I knew I couldn’t. That’s why I banished Andrew, I knew William was passing all of this on to him, re-telling it all with the same sneer and condescension he always gave me. I swore you’d never feel that shame, the shame I felt.”

Michelle, “We’ve seen it. We went to Temperance after we left Gath.”

Silas kneels down, and picks up an old school photo of himself, about age ten, sporting a black eye, “Yeah, you’ve seen it, but have I ever told you how I’d go to school covered in bruises, and the teachers never asked any questions? Chris Benjamin beats the shit out of his wife and son, but that’s a private family issue, and besides, he’s a war hero! It’d be wrong to disrespect him! As soon as I was king, I passed a law making it so that schoolteachers have to report suspected abuse. Because of that, children get taken out of violent homes and put somewhere safe.”

Jack rolls his eyes, “Should have taken us away, then.”

Silas, “I never touched you!”

Jack, “Still managed to keep me in a constant state of terror.”

Silas, “I know!”

Dramatic pause. Jack and Silas look at each other for a moment.

Silas, “I should have treated you better, I know I should have. But I’m an asshole and I don’t know how to not be an asshole. I tried to do better by Seth, but I fucked that up, too.”

Michelle goes over and sits on the sofa, “This doesn’t make up for anything, Silas.”

Silas, “What else can I do? I can’t give you back those years with Seth! I can’t go back and change the way I treated you! I wish to God I could, but I can’t!”

Michelle, “You just almost called Jack a slur.”

Silas, “I told you, I’m an asshole!”

Jack, “That’s not an excuse.”

Silas, “So what can I do? What can I possibly do to make up for all the shit I’m guilty of?”

Michelle, “What would make you forgive your father?”

Silas shakes his head, “Nothing,” he laughs sadly, “Absolutely fucking nothing.”

Jack, “I forgive you, Dad.”

Dramatic pause. Silas and Michelle both look at him.

Jack, “You’re a sick, fucked-up asshole, and you’re right, you can’t help it. Your father was a sick, fucked-up asshole, and I’ll bet that his father was a sick, fucked-up asshole, too. I used to think I was destined to be you, but then I realized, I had a choice. Now, I know who I am, and I’m not afraid to be who I am. I’m happy as who I am. I don’t need you, or your approval. You mean nothing to me. So why the hell should I stay angry at you?”

Silas looks from Jack, down to a picture of Kathleen. He gently traces her face with his fingertip, “Do you know why the butterfly is the symbol of Gilboa?”

Michelle, “Because a crown of butterflies landed on your head.”

Silas, “No, that’s just some bullshit story that I made up. Kathleen loved butterflies. She thought they were good luck. After she died, I put butterflies on all my things because they reminded me of her. When people asked, I didn’t want to tell them. Strangers who never knew Kathleen don’t deserve that. So I made up a story about God choosing me to be king. I thought Kathleen dying was the worst thing that would ever happen to me. For all of my battle wounds, I’d lie in recovery afterwards, thinking, still not as bad as losing Kathleen. I thought nothing could ever, ever be more painful,” he chokes up, “And then Seth died.”

Michelle holds back tears, “Why did you lie to us?”

Silas, “Because I’m a liar and that’s what I do. I thought I was doing the right thing.”

Michelle, “I needed to know I wasn’t alone.”

Silas, “How could I tell you that your aunt died?”

Michelle, tears running down her face, “I was so alone!”

Silas, anguished, “I was wrong.”

Jack, “What about Seth? Mom would have forgiven you. We would have forgiven you. You could take the scandal. What could you have protected us from?”

Silas, “I wasn’t protecting you, I was protecting Seth.” Dramatic pause. Silas, “He was better off not being royal. I vowed when he was born that I’d never put him through what I put the two of you through. And then look at what happened. I never should have brought him to the palace. I’d still keep him secret, if it meant keeping him alive.” He weeps, “I’m so proud of both of you. You had the strength to do something I was never brave enough to do; you stood up to your father. I promised Kathleen I’d get her away from Temperance. I failed her. I failed Seth. I failed the both of you. And I’m so sorry. You deserve better than me.”

Michelle reaches her hand out, “Dad-” she catches herself, and pulls her hand back. She gets up, and goes and kneels beside him. She puts her hand on his shoulder. Jack gets up and joins them. They sit together in pained silence.


	34. S4, E9: Yubitsume

“ **Yubitsume** ”

David lays in a bedroom of a shitty apartment in Ashdod. He’s on a twin bed, and another twin bed is placed on the opposite wall. Abby comes in and flops down on the other bed.

Abby, “I never thought Gath could get worse than the People’s Hotel, but then I got stuck in a shitty two-bedroom apartment with two guys.”

David, “I thought Asher was gonna take that bed, but you can have it, if you want.”

Abby, “Are you kidding? There’s no way in hell I’m passing up having my own room. I’m in here because I need someone to listen to me bitch.”

David, “We had Jack and Michelle when we were at the People’s.”

Abby, “Well, you had Jack. I was still terrified of speaking to Michelle, then. So I guess no matter what, being in Gath means pining for Michelle.”

David, “Yeah, well, at least we have each other in our misery. Who knows? Maybe if we were both a little bit straighter, we could date each other.”

David and Abby look at each other for a long moment, but then they both burst out laughing.

Abby, “I’m sorry, David, I fucking love you, but even if you were the hottest woman in the world, I’d never want to fucking date you.”

David, “Yeah, I’m kind of not the world’s easiest boyfriend to have.”

Abby, “Nah, all the hero shit, I’d be cool with, it’s the snuggly lovey-dovey shit that would drive me crazy. You and Jack are fucking disgusting, sometimes.”

David smirks, “We’re in love.”

Asher comes, “Hey, you guys, I made dinner.”

David, “I really don’t have an appetite.”

Asher, “Come on, try to eat something. I made something special.”

David and Abby get up and go out into the dining area of the apartment. The table is set with two candlesticks. A wrapped loaf of challah sits on the table.

David, “What’s this?”

Asher, “Shabbat dinner. It’s kind of hard to observe every Shabbat when you’re running from place to place, trying not to get killed. But now that we’re stuck here, I guess I don’t really have an excuse. Being a rabbi, I probably should be doing this kind of thing.”

Abby goes over to the table, “This is really nice, Asher.”

Asher, “Traditionally, it’s the women who light the Shabbat candles. I can do it, but you can do it, if you want, Abby.”

Abby grins, “Okay. You have to show me what to do.”

Asher hands her a box of matches, “Okay, light the candles.”

Abby takes out a match, strikes it, and lights the two candles.

Asher, “Now wave your hand three times over the flame, like you’re trying to gather the light to your face.”

He demonstrates, and Abby follows, smiling.

Asher, “Now cover your eyes, and say the blessing. You can just repeat after me.”

Abby, “Okay.” She covers her eyes.

Asher sings the blessing, and Abby repeats, trying not to laugh as she does.

Asher, “Shabbat Shalom! You can uncover your eyes.”

Abby finally laughs.

Asher pours three glasses of wine, “And now we say kiddush,” he raises his glass and recites the blessing of the wine.

Asher, “You can sit down now.”

David and Abby both sit.

Asher uncovers the loaf of challah, “And finally, we bless the challah.” He recites the blessing. He slices off three pieces and gives everyone a piece.

Asher, “Now you can serve the food and eat.”

David takes a bowl and serves some food for himself, “I don’t remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal.”

Asher looks over the food, and says, “I… I haven’t had a proper Shabbat dinner since my parents were killed.” He wipes tears from his eyes.

David, “Jeez, I had no idea.”

Asher, “The sacrifices you make trying to make the world a better place, hm? It absolutely sucks that we’re stuck here in Gath. I don’t think anyone is going to deny that, but here we are, having a nice dinner. We’re still alive, and as long as we’re still alive, we’re not completely out of hope. We just have to hold on to it,” He raises his wine glass, “L’chaim!”

David and Abby both raise their glasses, “L’chaim!”

  * Jack stands in front of the CrossGen executive board, Andrew at the opposite end of the table from him. In the middle of them sits Jack’s old “mentor,” Reggie Carmichael.



Jack, “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.”

Reggie, “Jack, hello. I haven’t spoken with you in far too long!”

Jack, “It’s good to see you again, Reggie.”

Reggie speaks to the other board members, “In case you didn’t know, I was a mentor to Jack during his days at Hollingsworth.”

Andrew smirking, “I was aware. You were quite an influence on Jack, weren’t you?”

Jack, “Among other things.”

Reggie, “We had quite a close relationship, but unfortunately, we’ve since gone our different directions. How are you, Jack?”

Jack, “I’m well. I wanted to speak to you, because CrossGen is currently being misled and misused by William Cross.”

Andrew, “This has been discussed. My father remains owner and CEO of CrossGen. CrossGen _will_ remain within the Cross family.”

Jack goes on, “Actually, after Andrew, I’d be next in line for the inheritance. During my time in the AFG, I came across evidence that William Cross has been using CrossGen to support terrorism.”

Andrew, “Says the man who’s a leader in his own terrorist group!”

Jack, “The AFG has never attacked civilians. If you’re going to try to make us out to be like the Amalekites, you’re wrong.”

Reggie, “Supporting terrorism is quite an accusation. Exactly what evidence do you have?”

Jack, “I’ve been informed that Queen Laura is beginning an investigation into links between Cross and the Amalekites. In the mission to rescue my sister, Alek Amal personally wounded David Shepherd quite badly, but not enough to kill him. It’s very strange that a man who rejoices in merciless slaughter would simply wound someone like David, and not ensure that he died, at least not without a good reason to.”

Reggie, “Is this all?”

Jack, “In the escape, the AFG safehouse was raided, which is something that had never happened to us before. Our communications network is based in Moab, and no one outside of the Moab could have gotten in.”

Andrew, “Or the army could have simply stumbled into the right place.”

Jack, “The raid forced David to go into Gath for medical treatment, and now, he can’t leave, thus eliminating a rival for Gilboa’s crown, which, as you all know, William has been after for quite some time.”

Andrew, “My father would never support the Amalekites! I nearly died when the Amalekites attacked the palace! Why would he support them after that?!”

Jack, “Because he wants to be king.”

Reggie, “Do you have any real evidence to support these accusations?”

Jack, “As I said, Queen Laura is conducting an investigation, and I promise you, she will find evidence linking Cross with the Amalekites. I believe it would very much be in CrossGen’s best interest to transfer the position of CEO before the scandal breaks. I can’t imagine Aram and King Anthony will be much interested in supporting a company owned by a man who supports the group that killed King George.”

Andrew looks around to the other board members, “Aram hasn’t fought a war in over a hundred years. They barely buy enough weapons for us to even look at them.”

Jack, “William Cross will face charges of aiding terrorism, and when he does, he will be extradited back to Gilboa to face them.”

Reggie, “From Moab, maybe, but not from Gath or Ammon.”

Jack, “It will not be good for CrossGen, either way! It’s in your best interest to transfer!”

Reggie, “We’ll put it to a vote. Those in favor of transferring the position of CEO of CrossGen from William Cross to Jack Benjamin-”

Jack corrects, “ _Jonathan_ Benjamin!”

Reggie, “To Jonathan Benjamin, say aye, those not in favor, say nay.”

They go around the room, each exec saying nay.

Finally, Reggie says, “I’m sorry, Jack, but I’m afraid my vote is also going to be nay. I wish you well in the future, but I have to end this meeting. Goodbye.”

Jack, “Come on!”

  * In the hallway, Andrew hisses at Jack, “This is _my_ company, _my_ business, not yours! I’m not going around trying to take your crown!”



Jack, “And I honestly wouldn’t give a fuck if it weren’t for the fact that your father is keeping my boyfriend under guard in Gath. If you can convince him to let David back into Gilboa, I’ll keep my hands off of it, but until then, I’m next in line, and both you and William are guilty of treason.”

Andrew, “So are you!”

Jack, “Yeah, but I’m the prince. I can get away with it.”

Andrew, “Your disloyalty sickens me!”

Jack, “Scared? Have I touched a nerve?”

Andrew, “CrossGen is mine! You will never have it!”

Jack, “You aren’t the owner, you’re chief of Gilboan operations.”

Andrew, “I’m the heir!”

Jack, “Do you know how fucking satisfying it is to see you panicking right now? I always thought you were a robot, but it turns out you’re capable of having feelings. Right now, you’re feeling threatened.”

Andrew, regaining his calm, “I am not threatened, and I am not panicking. All you have are accusations, and no proof.”

Jack, “It’s only a matter of time before that changes. If I were you, I’d start making sure my ass is covered.”

  * Five of Laura’s ministers sit in a darkened police room, guards behind them. A TV is set up on the wall.



Laura walks in with a guard escorting her, and addresses them, “Good evening, gentlemen.”

Ministers, “Good evening, your majesty.”

Laura looks at each of them, and says, “I’ve recently been informed that the communications network of the Army of Free Gilboa may have been breached, which is unfortunate for us, because as it is based here in Moab, only someone in Moab could have gotten into it.”

Martin, a technology minister, speaks up, “I’ll have my men start looking into it right away.”

Laura, “Oh, no, there’s no need. I’ve had someone else do the investigating.” She sits down on a table and picks up a manila folder.

She looks at the papers inside, and holds one up, “Martin, can you please explain to me how a $50,000 check endorsed by William Cross ended up in your bank account?”

Martin, “He bought a boat from me.”

Laura smiles and stands up, “Would you please hold your pinkie out for me?”

Martin, “What?”

Laura, “You heard me,” she sticks her pinkie out and rests it on the table, “Set it on the table just like this.”

Martin does as she says. Laura walks past her guard, who hands her something. She goes over to Martin, and with a tanto, swiftly chops off the tip of Martin’s pinkie. He screams and holds his bleeding hand up.

Laura, stepping back, “Don’t get blood on my Louboutins,” she looks at the other horrified men, “This is how my husband’s Japanese business partners dealt with offenses committed against their leader. I’ve been trying to clean up corruption ever since my coronation, and I thought I was doing a decent job. Apparently, I was wrong. So, I thought, I might as well give yubitsume a try. Now, will someone please tell me how the fuck Alek Amal, an internationally wanted terrorist, can walk into Moab, be seen and reported by multiple people, and not be arrested?”

Darrell, a police minister, “Amal is very adept at hiding, ma’am, and people are afraid of him.”

Laura, “Then what the fuck is this?” She grabs a remote and turns on the TV.

The screen shows security footage of Amal sitting, looking bored in a police station. Darrel comes over and unlocks the handcuffs tying him to a desk. They shake hands and Amal walks out.

Laura nods to the guard behind Darrel, who grabs Darrel’s hand and holds his pinkie out.

Laura, “Do you know how many people he’s killed, Darrel?”

Darrel, “In Gilboa, ma’am! He hasn’t killed anyone in Moab!”

Laura lifts her sleeve up, showing the scar on her arm, “He did this to me.” She chops the tip of Darrel’s pinkie off.

Another official, Walter, pleads, “Please, ma’am, we’re talking about the AFG’s secrets, not Moab’s.”

Laura looks at him in dismay. She turns to the guard behind Walter and holds up the tanto, “My arm is getting tired, would you mind doing this one?”

Walter screams, “No, no!” as the guard holds his hand out and cuts his pinkie tip off.

Laura, “I can’t believe I have to ask this, but, please, remind me again, who, exactly, is queen of this goddamn country?”

The ministers stare in silence.

Laura, “Who?!”

Darrel meekly speaks up, “You are.”

Laura, “I am queen of Moab! I give orders, and all you follow them, that’s how monarchy works! I gave all of you orders to do what we can to protect David Shepherd and the AFG, and look at what happened! He almost died!”

She sits down on the table again, “What is it about me, exactly, that I can’t get my ministers to take me seriously? Is it the blonde hair? The notion that surely King Norris’s trophy wife can’t be an effective leader? I am DONE not being taken seriously! If any of you have done anything else to protect William Cross or Alek Amal, you’d better fess up, right now!”

Another minister, Pierce, “I helped Cross leave the country last night! He’s gone to Ammon!”

Laura, “Thank you,” she looks at the guard behind him, “Just the tip.” Pierce screams as his pinkie tip gets cut off.

Martin, “What the fuck! He told you what he did!”

Laura, “That was for letting Amal out of the country. For letting Cross out of the country, I should take the second knuckle, but since he confessed, I’m letting him keep most of his finger. Does Cross still have access to the AFG network?” She takes the tanto from the guard and holds it up.

Martin, “Yes!”

Laura, “Can we fix that?”

Martin, “I- I can try.”

Laura, “Good. Because you all may think that what’s happening in Gilboa has nothing to do with Moab, but you are all so very wrong. If Gilboa collapses, Moab is next. First, it’s the Amalekites who take over, and then it’s the Christian Wolves of Mizpah, and then, we’re all living in Gath and Ammon, united under the crown of William Cross. You are all going to hand over all the information you gave to Cross, and you are going to help the AFG by giving them all the information on Cross that you have. After that, you will continue to help the AFG in every way you can, and you’d better pray that David Shepherd becomes king, because he can hold his country together, and King Silas can’t. Have I made myself clear?”

The ministers all give a weak, “Yes, ma’am.”

Laura raises the tanto, “Did I miss anyone?”

A guard behind the final minister, “You missed him.”

Laura, “Would you mind doing the honors?” She hands him the tanto.

He cuts off minister’s pinkie tip.

Laura, “Thank you. You’re all dismissed.”

  * Jack sits griping with Michelle, “God, this is such bullshit! They all know William is supporting the Amalekites, and they don’t fucking care!”



Michelle, “They’re loyal to William.”

Jack, “You know, I can at least sort of understand why people are loyal to Dad, but loyalty to William, I don’t understand in the slightest. He’s a sleazy, incompetent prick.”

Michelle, “Money is a very strong motivating factor.”

Thomasina enters the room, “Jack?”

Jack, “Yes?”

Thomasina, “You have a phone call from Reggie Carmichael.”

Jack glances nervously at Michelle. She shrugs. Jack stands up, and Michelle follows.

Thomasina, “He asks that Michelle not be listening in this time.”

Jack looks back at Michelle.

She puts a hand on his shoulder, “Don’t let him get to you.”

Jack nods, “Okay.”

  * In another room, Jack video conferences with Reggie privately.



Jack, “What do you want?”

Reggie, “It’s been a very long time since I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to you.”

Jack, “There’s a reason for that.”

Reggie, “If you’re willing to be CEO CrossGen, you must be willing to work closely with me, which means you can’t be too resentful over what happened between us. Besides, you have a very attractive boyfriend these days.”

Jack, “What do you want, Reggie?”

Reggie lowers his camera, revealing an erect penis and no pants.

Jack, “Jesus, what the fuck!”

Reggie starts jerkin’ it, “I haven’t talked to you in too long, Jack. If you wanted to talk to me, you could have just called me.”

Jack, “Why the fuck would I ever want to speak to you again?!”

Reggie, “You don’t expect me to believe that you actually want to take over CrossGen. It’s too much work. I know you’ve missed me.”

Jack ends the conference and storms out of the room.

Michelle waits on the other side of the door, “Jack?” She follows closely behind him, “Jack, what’s wrong? What did he say? Jack!”

She grabs his arm and pulls him into a private room. He paces furiously, and Michelle grabs him by the shoulders. She looks him in the eye, “Jack, look at me. Don’t check out. Tell me what happened.”

Jack, “Nothing.” He tries to move away, but Michelle holds him.

Michelle, “Tell me what happened.”

Jack stares at the ground.

Michelle, “Come on, you can’t start checking out again. What happened? What did Reggie say?”

Jack, shaking, tears in his eyes, “That fucking evil pedophile piece of shit! I want to rip his tongue out!”

Michelle hugs him tightly, “You’re okay, Jack.”

  * In the morning, Isaiah and Joel get out of a car parked in front of a nice townhouse in Shiloh. They climb the front stoop. Isaiah knocks on the door. Micah, his brother, answers it.



Isaiah, “Hey, Micah.”

Micah casts him an appraising look, “I thought I’d never hear from you again.”

Isaiah, “You’re only hearing from me because the AFG needs something.”

Micah, “Come in.”

Joel and Isaiah sitting on a couch while Micah sits across from them.

Joel, “Long story short, the AFG wants ownership of CrossGen to be transferred from William Cross to Prince Jack, but that has to be approved by the board of directors, and they, of course, are squarely on Cross’s side.”

Micah, “I don’t work for CrossGen anymore. Nobody in Gilboa does.”

Joel, “Yes, but you know their computer system. I know that they brought the same system with them to Edom. We need someone who knows how to navigate their system so that I can dig up some incriminating evidence that can be used to blackmail the board into handing over ownership.”

Micah looks skeptically over at Isaiah, “I told you, I’m not interested in this rebel shit.”

Isaiah, “Yeah, but this isn’t against Silas, it’s against William Cross. Technically, it’s not rebel shit.”

Micah, “Why are you suddenly going against Cross, anyway? I thought you were only interested in Silas.”

Isaiah, “We started out fighting Silas, but then the Amalekites came up, and then we found out that William Cross was supporting the Amalekites. You make a lot of enemies trying to crown a new king.”

Micah looks at Joel, “Can I talk to my brother alone for a minute?”

Joel shrugs, “Okay, I’ll wait in the car.” He gets up and leaves.

Isaiah and Micah look at each other for a moment.

Micah, “I saw you defusing a bomb without a safety suit.”

Isaiah, “I had a signal jammer.”

Micah, “I don’t understand why you’re doing all this rebel shit. I honestly don’t understand how it is you aren’t dead.”

Isaiah, “I believe in what I’m doing.”

Micah, “Tearing apart the country so you can save it?”

Isaiah, “You don’t have to join me. Just help me.”

Micah, “Mom and Dad pretend you don’t exist. If anyone asks, they say you’re a cousin.”

Isaiah, “I’m not doing this for them.”

Micah, “Every time I have to meet with someone new at work, it’s, ‘Oh, aren’t you the one with the brother in the AFG?’ It’s easier to say you’re just a cousin.”

Isaiah, “I’m sorry, man.”

Micah smiles, “Things changed when those pictures of you defusing that bomb came out. Suddenly, everyone wants to know more about my hero brother.”

Isaiah, “It was a piece of shit. All of the Amalekite’s bombs have been pieces of shit. That is, until Cross started supporting them. Now they’ve got real weapons, and it’s more about getting people out before they go off.”

Micah, “They can still be defused. You can defuse any damn bomb they put in front of you.”

Isaiah, “Haven’t found one I couldn’t. I just hope I can keep it up.”

Isaiah smiles sadly, “I miss talking to you, man.”

Micah, “I miss talking to you, too. If King Silas is gonna be overthrown, I hope it happens soon, because it just ain’t the same without you around here.”

Isaiah, “You’ll be helping it happen.”

Micah, “I dunno how you’re gonna get into the CrossGen network, but once you’re in, I’ll help you navigate as best I can. If they’ve changed a lot of shit, I won’t be any good.”

Isaiah, “Doing something that might not work is better than doing nothing. Besides, if it doesn’t work, the worst thing that’ll happen is we don’t get what we’re looking for. Usually, if our plans don’t work, it means people die.”

  * Laura sits in her office.



Darrell walks in, meekly holding a file full of papers, “Here’s the reports on Amalekite finances that you were looking for.”

Laura smiles, “Thank you, Darrell.” She takes the folder.

Darrell, “Also, during the investigation, we uncovered some information about how the CWM is being financed.”

Laura looks at the paper, and fury flashes in her eyes, “Get me King Warner.”

· Laura walks furiously down a hallway (murder strut!), into a room where a video conference with Warner sits ready.

Warner, “Good evening, Laura. For what reason do I owe this pleasure?”

Laura, “William Cross is in Ammon, and I want him extradited back to Moab.”

Warner, “Why?”

Laura, “He’s supporting the Amalekites, and I have proof.”

Warner, “Mr. Cross is here as a political refugee.”

Laura, “He may be a political refugee from Gilboa, not from Moab. In Moab, he’s just a fucking criminal.”

Warner, “I still won’t be extraditing him, I’m sorry.”

Laura, “I know you’ve been funneling weapons to the Christian Wolves of Mizpah! Don’t make me bring charges against you!”

Warner, “Or what will you do? Declare war? Your army can barely keep the peace in your own country, and Samaria will never let you go through their territory.”

Laura, “I will call Royal Council and I will bring hellfire! I will bring so many sanctions against Ammon!”

Warner, “We already have sanctions against us, human right violations and whatnot, and we’re doing just fine. I’m afraid you’re out of luck, here, Laura. I have to be going, I have a guest.”

Laura, “Don’t you dare just dismiss me!”

Warner, “Goodbye!” He ends the conference.

Laura, furiously, “MotherFUCKER!”

· In Rabbath, Warner turns his chair and faces William.

Warner, “This is why God meant men to be leaders. Women are far too emotional. They start wars over the pettiest little things.”

William smiles, “I’m going to enjoy it here in Ammon, although I must admit, I will miss the Mizpah nightlife.”

Warner, “With a renewed contract with CrossGen, the army has enough firepower, I expect to fully have control of Carmel by the end of the year. Whether or not I take more of Gilboa, I still have yet to decide.”

William, “Hey, you have to leave something for me to rule over.”

Warner, “Oh, of course, I’ll leave you a few scraps.”

William, “Good man.”

Warner, “I am, however, somewhat concerned to hear that your nephew has been trying to take over CrossGen.”

William, “Jack? Jack’s too fucking stupid to fix all his problems and kill his father. Even if he did somehow manage to be successful, soon, Shaw is going to launch his final offensive against Gilboa and get his revenge against Silas. So we don’t need to worry about Jack.”

Warner, “I am glad to hear that.” He gets up, goes over to a bar set, and pours two glasses of whiskey. He hands one over to William. He holds his up in a toast, “To a fruitful partnership.”

William toasts him, “To a fruitful partnership.”


	35. S4, E10: Thunderstorms

**“Thunderstorms”**

Asher looks out at a rainy night from the bedroom window, “Jesus, I hope it lets up by the morning. I’m teaching shul tomorrow. Not looking forward to that walk.”

David lays in his bed, “I miss the sound of rain on the roof. Reminds me of home.”

Asher, “Night, David.”

David, “Night.”

Asher shuts the lights off and goes to bed. David lies quietly for a moment. Lightning flashes, and thunder booms. David’s eyes shoot open. Shakily, he mutters, “What the fuck.”

Asher, “Nothing like a little thunder to lull you to sleep.”

David nervously glances at the window, “Yeah.” Another flash of lightning, another sudden boom of thunder.

David shifts onto his side, “Fuck.”

Asher, “Hey, you okay?”

Another flash and boom. David gets up out of bed. He clenches his shaking fists and tries to breathe deeply.

Asher sits up and looks at him, “David?”

Another flash, boom. David grabs at his hair.

Asher gets out of bed and goes up to him, “David, what’s wrong?” Flash, boom.

David, “That doesn’t sound like the fucking woods to you?” Flash, boom.

Asher, “The- the woods?”

David, “With the bombs!” Flash, boom.

David, “Fuck!” he wrenches the door open and goes out into the living area, where he paces furiously.

Asher stands in the doorway, “It’s just thunder.”

David, “It sounds like I’m back in the fucking woods again! The woods, the caves, fucking Fistopia!”

Asher, “David, just calm down and try to breathe.” Flash, boom.

David yells and sits down on the floor, huddling with his hands over his head.

Abby comes out of her room, “What’s going on?”

Asher goes over and kneels beside David. He puts his hand on his shoulder, and calmly says, “David, look at me.”

David looks at him.

Asher, “Take a deep breath, come on.” He takes a deep breath, and David follows. Flash, boom. David winces.

Asher, “Keep breathing. You’re not in the woods. You’re not in the caves. You’re not in any of the places where bad shit happened. You’re here with me and Abby. You’re safe.” Flash, boom. David cries out again. Abby comes over and kneels by him.

Asher, “David, it’s not bombs falling, it’s just thunder.” Flash, boom. David grimaces and buries his face in his knees.

Abby hugs him as best she can, “You’re all right, David. This’ll be over in a few minutes.” Flash, boom.

  * Late night, Jack sits in the kitchen alone, eating from a tub of ice cream.



Michelle enters the kitchen, “Couldn’t sleep?”

Jack, “Pull up a spoon.”

Michelle grabs a spoon from a drawer and joins Jack, “What’s keeping you up?”

Jack, “I miss David. I have no idea how the hell this whole takeover of CrossGen thing is going to work. I’ve got all kinds of shit to worry about. You?”

Michelle, “I have my first day of med school in the morning.”

Jack, “Oh, shit, that’s right!”

Michelle blushes, “I’m nervous.”

Jack, “About what? You’re gonna kick med school’s ass!”

Michelle, “It feels wrong to be excited about it. I’d rather still be with the AFG.”

Jack, “Hey, you’re allowed to be excited about this. You should wear your medic jacket. Total power move. Remind everyone just who the fuck you are.”

Michelle, “Everyone already knows who I am.”

There’s movement and noise through the doorway. They both look. More movement.

Michelle, “What’s that?”

Jack gets up, “Dad?”

In the living area, Silas wanders around, looking disoriented. Jack enters, followed by Michelle.

Jack, “Dad?”

Silas mumbles, “Kathleen…”

Jack approaches him, “Dad?”

Silas, “I have to find Kathleen.”

Jack looks back at Michelle, bewildered. She shrugs and shakes her head.

Silas turns around, sees Michelle, and goes up to her, “Kathleen! Kathleen, where have you been?”

Michelle, “I’m not Kathleen.”

Silas, “Stop playing around, we have to get back home before we both get in trouble!”

Michelle, “I’m not Kathleen, I’m Michelle.”

Silas, “Don’t mess with me like this, Kathleen!”

Jack goes off to get Rose.

Silas, “Come on, we gotta go!”

Michelle, “I’m your daughter, Michelle. Kathleen isn’t here.”

Silas rolls his eyes, “Fine, if Kathleen isn’t here, then where is she?”

Michelle, “She- she’s dead.”

Silas, “That’s not funny, Kathleen.”

Rose enters the room, followed by Jack.

Silas turns around and sees her, “Rose, tell Kathleen to stop messing around, we have to get home! I’m gonna get a beating if we don’t show up soon!”

Rose looks at Michelle, “Just go along with it,” she looks back at Silas, “All, right come on, we’ll get you both home.”

She takes Silas by the shoulders and begins to lead him back to the bedroom.

She glances back at Michelle, “Come on, Kathleen.”

Michelle follows, dumbfounded. Rose gently maneuvers Silas into the bedroom and into bed.

She pulls the covers over him, “Go to sleep, Silas. Kathleen will be fine.”

Silas, “She needs to stop disappearing. I worry about her.”

Rose, “It’s all right, Silas. Just go to sleep. We’ll be here in the morning.”

Silas grunts and shuts his eyes. Rose turns around and sees Jack and Michelle standing in the doorway. She sighs heavily and goes out into the living room.

o Rose sits down in a chair. Jack and Michelle follow and sit down across from her.

Rose, “I suppose you’re wondering what that was all about.”

Jack, “Has he done that before?”

Rose, “Yes.”

Jack, “How long has he been like this?”

Rose, “Since Seth died. He hasn’t given himself time to grieve. He needs a nice, long vacation, a real vacation. Of course, kings don’t take vacations. Especially not with two wars going on.”

Jack, “When did he do this before?”

Rose, “After we saw the kidnapping video from Alek Amal.”

Jack, “Who was in charge when that happened?”

Rose, “Abner and I were both giving orders. But, if it were to happen again, now, you would be in charge.”

Jack sits quietly, brows furrowed, deep in thought.

Michelle, “So what are we going to do about it? This can’t keep happening.”

Rose, “I don’t know.” A tear rolls down her cheek.

Everyone sits in silence for a long moment.

Rose, “You two think you’re nothing like your parents. That’s wrong. You have far more in common with us than you’d care to imagine.”

Jack, “We know about Dad running away.”

Rose, “Not only did you run away like Silas did, you fell in love with a boy who wants to be king, just like I did.”

Jack, “David’s not like Dad.”

Rose shakes her head, “He reminds me so much of your father. Even when I first met him, I thought, my god, he’s just like Silas at that age. The looks, the charisma- the bravery that stands so close to stupidity. You aren’t the first one to punish your father by getting your boyfriend the crown.”

Jack, “What’d your dad do to you?”

Rose, “The way I was raised, I never even considered marrying Silas a possibility. Of course, I was aware of how he worshipped me from afar, but at first, I considered him just a way to have fun in the summer. My father expected me to marry someone from a good family, and he reminded me of that every chance he got. So I rebelled against him by sleeping with what must have been half of the Gilboan army- something else you and I have in common.”

Jack rolls his eyes.

Rose goes on, “I had a series of respectable boyfriends. When I was 21, one of them got me pregnant. He was a nice enough boy, he would have done what he could to make me happy, but I knew that he wasn’t what I wanted. So I had an abortion before anyone found out. This, of course, was after Silas started making a name for himself. He had other girls who were going after him, girls from wealthy families who were more liberal in their attitudes about marriage, but he only ever had eyes for me, even when I told him to find someone else. When I turned 24, my father said enough was enough, I needed to get married. So I accepted a proposal from Irwin Balthazar. He was like every other boy before him, nice, decent, from a good family. But every night, when I went to bed, Silas was the one who occupied my mind. When I heard that his parents had been killed in a car crash, I thought I’d go to Temperance and say goodbye to Silas for one final time. That’s when I got pregnant with you two. This time, when I found out, I was so, so happy. My father couldn’t say no to Silas anymore. We had to get married. You two were my ticket to freedom.”

Jack, “So, what you’re saying is, I could have solved pretty much all of my problems if I’d just had David get me pregnant.”

Rose, smirking, “You shut the fuck up.”

Michelle, “You still tried to force Jack to marry someone he doesn’t love.”

Jack and Rose both grow serious.

Michelle, “Why do you think I made my vows to God? I didn’t want to get trapped in a marriage with some douchebag that you and Dad picked out. What the fuck happened to you two?”

Rose, “Monarchy changes everything. It changed me, it changed Silas, and it’s going to change David, whether you acknowledge it or not.”

Jack, “David’s not like Dad.”

Rose, “He may not be, but you’re an awful lot like me.”

Jack, “How’d you get Dad the crown?”

Rose, “It wasn’t hard. He was already a very popular hero at that point. We got married, and I started inviting him to society events and introducing him to people. His stories and charm did the rest. Ephraim Samuels was the hardest to convince. I often had doubts about his loyalty to Silas, but he always came through when it mattered. Of course, there were those who didn’t like the idea of a nobody like Silas being king, but I had a few tricks to get them on our side.”

Jack, “Such as?”

Rose, “A lot of people have a secret they don’t want anybody to find. I happened to know a few of these secrets, and for those I didn’t know… I found them.”

Jack, “Can you still do that?”

Rose, “Being queen’s only made it easier.”

Jack, “Do you want to help me take over CrossGen?”

  * David comes into the kitchen where Asher and Abby sit having breakfast, his head hung low.



Asher and Abby, “Morning.”

David, “Morning.” He pours himself a bowl of cereal and sits down without looking anyone on the eye, “I’m sorry about last night. Did either of you get any sleep?”

Abby, “Yeah, eventually.”

Asher, “Hey, David, I think it’d be a good idea for you to come to shul with me today.”

David, “Why?”

Asher, “There’s someone I want you to me. One of the congregants is a therapist who works with veterans-”

David interrupts, “No. No way. He’s a fucking retired Phil who works with other retired Phils and he’s gonna go straight to Shaw and tell him all the ways I’m fucked up.”

Asher, “Even in Gath he can’t violate doctor patient confidentiality.”

David, “You think Shaw gives a shit? Besides, last night was an accident, it’s not gonna happen again.”

Asher, “Look, I’m not a psychiatrist, but I learned some basic counseling in rabbinical school, and I know what PTSD looks like.”

David, “Don’t say that!”

Abby, “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, David.”

David, “And it’s fucking fine for anyone else, but nobody’s gonna follow a leader who’s so fucked up from PTSD that he can’t keep his shit together during a thunderstorm! Besides, you both made it through the woods, and I don’t see either of you freaking out!”

Asher, “I still have nightmares where I hear my parents being shot.”

Abby, “I didn’t sleep for a solid month after Damascus.”

Asher, “You’ve been through way more shit than either of us have.”

David, “All this is, is me being stuck in fucking Gath with nothing to do. Once the AFG gets moving again, and I have something to focus on, I’ll be fine. Also, Jack’s not here. I’ll be much better once I’m with Jack again.”

Asher, “So what are you going to do in the meantime? Just freak out every time there’s a sudden noise? It rains a lot here, there’s gonna be more thunderstorms.”

David, “I don’t fucking know, just lay off me, all right?!”

Asher, “David?”

David, “What?”

Asher, “Stop being a bitch and talk to the fucking therapist.”

  * Michelle walks into a lecture hall, carrying her books and pencils, wearing her AFG medic jacket. As she walks, students turn their heads and stare. Michelle finds a seat, and nervously looks around. She sees the students staring at her, and a small, confident smirk breaks over her face. She sets her books down and opens her notebook, ready for notes, as students continue to stare and whisper.



The professor addresses the class, “Welcome to principals of doctoring.”

  * Rose peers down at a photo of the CrossGen board of directors.



Jack stands next to her, “I don’t need a unanimous decision, just a majority vote, and ownership will be transferred to me. I already know Reggie Carmichael’s a pedophile, I just need the proof to show it. I may have some friends looking into it.”

Rose, “Well, tax evasion’s the only thing William’s ever been good at. He used to have us looking the other way with threats of abandoning Gilboa, but I guess he can’t hold that over us anymore, can he? You don’t need the AFG. I know they’re your friends, but, when it comes to blackmail, they’re still amateurs. I have a team of professionals.”

Jack, “I didn’t say my friends were AFG.”

Rose, “Oh, please, I’d be disappointed in you if you didn’t find a way to stay in touch with them.”

Jack looks at her for a moment, thinking and then hesitantly says, “It’s really important to the AFG that this happens. I shouldn’t tell you this, but me getting ownership of CrossGen means that the AFG can fight Dad again. At least, that’s the goal.”

Rose tears up, “If I help you, it means you won’t harm your father. You’ll let him live his life in peace, as a private citizen.”

Jack, “Okay. I can do that.”

A tear traces down Rose’s cheek, “I’m afraid Silas has been king for too long. Being king- it wears on even the strongest man. Don’t think that I’m helping you because I support David in any way. I just want Silas to leave the throne while there’s still some of him left.”

Jack, “The AFG will take any help it can get.”

Rose, “Then you’re going to get some real help. It’s time that William be brought to his knees. I just wish our parents could have lived to see him disgraced.”

  * David sits sulkily in a chair across from Dr. Othman.



Othman, “Tell me why you’re here, David.”

David, “Because Asher threatened to kick my ass into wellness if I don’t.”

Othman, “You’re an accomplished soldier, surely you can defend yourself.”

David, “I’m not gonna punch a rabbi!”

Othman, “Fair enough. I spoke to Rabbi Levinson, and he told me about something that happened in a thunderstorm.”

David, “It’s not gonna happen again.”

Othman, “Oh, it will. If it’s happened once, it’ll happen again. That’s how this whole PTSD thing works. You’re so used to being under fire that your brain automatically tells you that any loud, sudden noise is a bomb, and you react like you would to a bomb.”

David, “Can’t you just write me a prescription or something?”

Othman, “I can. An anti-anxiety medication is probably a good place to start. It’ll help alleviate the symptoms, but it won’t address the cause. That’s gonna take some work.”

David, “So what do you want me to do? Just tell you all my secrets?”

Othman, “What are you afraid of?”

David, “You’ll turn everything I say over to Shaw.”

Othman, “I’m bound by doctor-patient confidentiality.”

David, “That doesn’t mean shit when interrogators are applying a power drill to your femur.”

Othman, “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think you really have that many secrets. If I wanted to know what you’ve been through, all I’d have to do is look at the news. I can’t imagine Shaw is too interested in AFG plots and locations. All he cares about is Silas. So what are you afraid of?”

David, “Thunder, apparently.”

Othman smiles, “I didn’t ask what caused your panic attack. I asked what you’re afraid of.”

David stares at him for a long moment, hesitating to answer. Finally, he says, “I’m not a leader. I’m afraid that everyone I’ve come to care about is just gonna end up being hurt, and nothing will change. I’m afraid that all I’ve done is caused more suffering, and torn my country apart, and even if I become king, all the evil I’ve done will still outweigh any good I might do. You think you can fix that?”

Othman, “Probably not. But I can help you keep your shit together, which will help you be a better leader. If you’re a better leader, maybe you can still change things. But whether or not you accept my help is up to you.”

David, “All right. Help me.”

  * Michelle and Silas are in the middle of a roaring fight.



Michelle, “Fuck you, Silas! I saved lives in that jacket, I’m gonna wear it!”

Silas, “You can’t go around making like you’re still in the rebellion!”

Michelle, “I never left! You dragged me away!”

Rose walks past, eyes the fight with weary familiarity, and leaves the room. She goes down a hallway, and into the bedroom. She takes off her day clothes and puts on a nightgown and robe. She sits down at her vanity, takes a cloth, and wipes away her makeup. It comes off like thick armor, revealing a tired, aged face. Rose stares at herself in the mirror.

o FLASHBACK: (“Numb” Meg Myers) Young Rose fights with her father, much like Michelle fights with Silas, “Fuck you, Alister! Silas is a good and decent man and any other father would be delighted for his daughter to be with him!”

Alister, “I’m going to be king soon, and you’re going to be a princess! Princesses don’t marry trash!”

Rose, “Silas is not trash, he’s a hero!”

Alister, “He came from trash, he’ll end up being trash! His father had a medal, too, and look what became of him! Luckily for me, Silas doesn’t matter. He’s just a common soldier. He’ll die in the war, and that miserable bloodline can finally be put to an end!”

Rose, “He’s is a better man than you, and he’d be a better king!”

Alister, “So go ahead, put a crown on him! He’s good at enduring pain, that’s all! He knows nothing about leadership. A man like that can never be king.”

Rose, “A king has to be able to endure pain. You know nothing about pain, and that makes you weak. Silas is exactly the kind of man who should be king. I’m not going to be your princess, but I _will_ be a queen.”

Alister, “I promise you, no one will want to follow a worthless piece of trash like Silas Benjamin.”

END FLASHBACK: Rose sits looking at her reflection. A tiny smirk appears on her lips.

o Entrance of CrossGen buildings in Edom, Samaria, Aram, and Moab, agents of the respective versions of the FBI climb up the front steps. An imperious-looking portrait of Alister Cross (the plaque underneath reads ALISTER JONATHAN CROSS) looks down as agents enter a corporate building. The leader approaches the front desk secretary and holds up a warrant.

o In the offices, agents fill boxes with evidence and slap cuffs on execs in fancy suits. A worker frantically tries to shred documents. One agent goes up to the worker and takes away the documents he was trying to shred.

o Andrew and Chloe go shopping for maternity clothes.

A department store employee rings Andrew’s card, “It didn’t go through.”

Andrew, “What?!”

Employee, “It says the account’s been frozen.”

Chloe, annoyed, reaches into her purse, “Use my card.”

o At Reggie’s impressive mansion, police knock on the door.

Reggie answers, “I had nothing to do with the tax evasion mess! Don Towner was the one who handled the taxes, get him!”

Officer, “This has nothing to do with the tax evasion. This is for the kiddie porn.” He puts cuffs on Reggie and leads him into a squad car.

o Another exec finds an envelope on his desk. He opens it, and pictures of people in fur suits fall out. A look of panic spreads over his face.

o At an airport, police look through an exec’s bag, and uncover a pile of cash, “You weren’t planning on leaving the country with this, were you?”

o In his car, another exec talks into the phone, looking terrified but trying not to sound it, “Please call me back, I, uh, I’d like to talk about what we can do to make that little recording disappear.”

o Execs in business suits sit in a holding cell, mixed in with common criminal thugs.

A guard speaks to one exec, “I got a message from someone named Thomasina, she says she can help you with your legal troubles, you just have to do something for her.”

o At a bank. Andrew screams at an employee, “No, I am not considering selling anything! It’s my money!”

Employee, “I’m sorry, but all accounts connected to CrossGen are frozen pending further investigation.”

o At a Mizpah press conference, Laura announces, “In light of recent events, Moab will be ending its contracts with CrossGen. Their facilities have been taken over by government agencies, and future manufacturing will be nationalized. I believe that Aram, Edom, and Samaria will soon follow suit.” She smiles brilliantly.

o In the Gath apartment, David, Abby, and Asher watch the press conference in disbelief. A subtitle reads, “William Cross accused of supporting terrorism, widespread fraud.” Asher and Abby both laugh while David can only gawk.

o In an AFG safehouse, Joel shouts, “Fuck yeah!” while Shay, Isaiah, and Monique do shots.

o In his townhome, Micah watches the news and smiles.

o In Ammon, William can only stare at his TV, mouth open, numb with horror and shock.

o Movers move a bunch of shit out of Andrew and Chloe’s house.

Andrew follows one mover, “That’s been in my family since 1878!”

Chloe follows another mover, “That is mine! I paid for it with my own money, that I made with my own investments! It has nothing to do with him!”

o In the CrossGen board room, Jack smiles imperiously over the execs.

Exec, “Those in favor of transferring the position of CEO to Jonathan Benjamin, say aye, those not in favor, say nay.”

They go down the line of board members, each one saying aye. Jack nods with satisfaction.

· In Chloe’s girly pink, postered childhood bedroom, the door opens, and Chloe walks in, Andrew following. They both carry suitcases.

Chloe, “Space is kinda tight, but the bed’s comfortable.”

There’s a beefcake magazine pinup of David on the wall. Chloe rips it down with a quick, casual movement that Andrew doesn’t notice. Numbly, Andrew sits down on the bed.

Chloe sits down next to him, “We’ll get this bullshit sorted out tomorrow. Seriously, they can’t touch my money. I can at least get us in some decent new digs.”

Andrew, “What?”

Chloe, “I have my own money.”

Andrew, “How?”

Chloe, “I invested some shit! That’s how you’re supposed to do it, right?! Our prenup makes it all clear, that shit’s all mine!”

Andrew stares down at the floor and doesn’t say anything. Andrew’s phone dings, and he takes it out of his pocket.

MESSAGE FROM Jack Benjamin: “BTW you’re fired (smiling poop emoji)”

Chloe sighs and slumps her shoulders. Andrew drops the phone.

Dejected, he mutters, “Why does he get _everything_?”

Chloe, “I think that’s like, because he’s the heir.”

Andrew sneers, “That’s not it. He gets the praise. The boyfriend. He had the crown, he did _nothing_ , and it was his, and he threw it away! So he grabs the one thing I’ve been promised- the one thing that was mine.”

Chloe, “Didn’t he try to kill his dad?” She looks at him, but he looks away, miserable. She grows somber, and puts a hand on his shoulder.


	36. S4, E11: Men Into Beasts

“ **Men Into Beasts** ”

Jack video conferences with Warner.

Warner, “You can’t just pull your manufacturing out of Ammon!”

Jack, “Yeeeeaaaah, I can, actually.”

Warner, “How the hell is CrossGen going to continue to make money, then?”

Jack, “This was never, ever about money. I’m a fucking prince, I have money! Honestly, the only thing that’s keeping me from setting fire to this whole trash heap is that the rank-and-file employees of CrossGen don’t deserve that. But, if William sells CrossGen to me, Moab, Aram, Edom, and Samaria have all declared that they’re willing to re-negotiate their contracts. There’s going to be a lot of changes made in the future, of course, but, CrossGen will continue to show a profit, especially once I bring operations back into Gilboa. By the way, where is William?”

Reveal William sitting in a corner of Warner’s office, out of Jack’s sight, listening in.

Warner, “I haven’t seen him.”

Jack, “Figures. The coward.”

William scowls with indignation.

Jack goes on, “Anyway, I have other meetings to get to. If you need anything else, Warner, we’ll see if we can schedule something. Bye!”

The video ends.

William, “I guarantee you, this is all Rose’s doing. There’s no way in hell Jack is smart enough to have done this all on his own.”

Warner, “Rule number one of leading an army, William, is know your enemy, and never underestimate him.”

William, “I know Jack. He has no self-esteem, and there’s nothing he won’t do for a scrap of validation.”

Warner, “He seemed pretty confident just now. You know, the extradition warrants from both Gilboa and Moab are still standing. Now that CrossGen is out of Ammon, I have no real reason to keep you here.”

William, “You wouldn’t!”

Warner, “You’re right, I wouldn’t. As long as I don’t have a real reason to send you back. I advise you to watch your back.”

William, “I don’t want to, but I can still go to Gath. Fortunately for you, in Gath, they wouldn’t know luxury if it fucked them in the ass. So I’d rather stay here.”

Warner, “Make sure you pay your taxes, then.”

  * David, Abby, and Asher meet with Shaw in the palace.



David, “With William Cross removed from CrossGen, you have no reason to keep us here.”

Shaw, “You aren’t going anywhere, Shepherd.”

David, “Sir, I thought you wanted to see Silas overthrown.”

Shaw, “Oh, believe me, I do, but now, I’m going to be the one who does it, not you.”

Abby, “If you let us go, David will be much more willing to cooperate with Gath once he’s king! Not only could there be long-lasting peace, there could be a real partnership between our nations, one that’s beneficial to both of us!”

Shaw, “And the only reason that you aren’t currently sitting in a prison camp north of the arctic circle is because I’m holding you over Jack Benjamin’s head to keep CrossGen here in Gath. Don’t worry, though. I’ll let you go, eventually, but only when there’s no more Gilboa for you to return to, or be king of.”

David, “This is absurd! How many people have to die for your grievances against Silas? This is your last opportunity for real and lasting peace!”

Shaw, “The only way to ensure peace between Gath and Gilboa is for one to no longer exist.”

Abby, “And you think Gilboans are just going to accept Gath’s rule? Sir, you saw what happened when Silas tried to give you the Borderlands. You’ve seen what we’ve done to our own wretched king. What makes you think that Gilboa will just happily sit back and accept a foreign despot as its leader?”

Shaw looks at David, “I know you’re tired of fighting. I know you never wanted to be a leader, and the war you’ve been waging is starting to get to you. The guards posted outside your apartment door report your voice sounding panicked during thunderstorms. I know you’ve been seeing a therapist who works with veterans.”

David, “None of that means I’m ready to give up.”

Shaw, “You have a breaking point, Shepherd. All men do. Silas is past his, and you’re very close to yours. I know you have a worst fear. Something you pray never happens. I suggest you give up before that fear is ever realized.”

  * David talks to Joel and Shay on the phone.



Shay, “We’re hiding out near the border, we’ve got a good number of troops here with us. Your children are here, and they already have like fifty rescue ideas.”

David, “My what?”

Shay, “Adam and Liam.”

David, “Oh, yeah, of course they would. Are… any of those plans good?”

Shay, “I dunno, a lot depends on when and where we rescue you. Personally, It’ll be no problem for me to lead in a team of Queens, take out your guards, get you out of there quick.”

David, “They’ll see you coming. Shaw’s pretty intent on keeping me here. You can send a team, but it’ll be a big fucking mess and cost a lot of lives. I don’t want that. Also, I’m pretty sure the apartment’s bugged, so anything I talk about here is gonna be listened to.”

Shay, “Well what the fuck do you want us to do, then, David? We can’t just leave you there and wait until Shaw takes over Gilboa.”

David, “I don’t know! There’s a way out, I know there is, I just have to figure it out!”

Joel, “Don’t be losing your nerve, David.”

David, “I’m not!”

Joel, “Sometimes you just have to do something ugly.”

David, “Can you just give me some time?”

Shay, “We will, but if you can’t figure something out, we’re coming to get you, got it?”

David, “If I see an opportunity, I’ll take it.”

Shay, “Message us if something happens.”

David, “Okay. Bye.”

Shay, “Bye.”

  * In her palace apartment, Michelle serves Jack up a bowl full of mac ’n’ cheese, “Hope you don’t mind it’s just stuff from a box. Cooking is still on my to-learn list.”



Jack, “That’s the best kind.”

Michelle extends her arm, and her sleeve rises to expose a bandage on her bicep.

Jack, “You get a new tat?”

Michelle looks down, “Yeah. It’s a portrait of Seth. It turned out beautifully. I’d love to show it to Helen. I’ve been asking around, trying to figure out where she is.”

Jack, “Do you thinks she’s even still alive?”

Michelle, “She is. I don’t think Silas would just kill Seth’s mother. I think she had something to do with the scar on his cheek, but with school and studying, I don’t have enough time to do a proper investigation. I’ve been getting pretty close with one of my professors, he might be able to help.” Michelle sits down and they both eat.

Jack, “I think we might be able to leave soon.”

Michelle, “What?”

Jack, “Today Monique told me that Shay and Joel are cooking up some kind of plan to get David, Abby, and Asher out of Gath. She said once they’re back in Gilboa, it’ll be our turn to escape.”

Michelle, quietly, “I’m not sure if I want to go with you.”

Jack, “What? Don’t you want to be with Abby?”

Michelle, “I do! I really fucking do! I just- I’m not even through my first semester!”

Jack, “What was your plan when you signed up?”

Michelle, “To get Silas to stop treating me like a little girl.”

Jack, “Probably should have thought things through a little bit more.”

Michelle, “I’ve always wanted to do this, you know that! Look, in the big picture of the AFG, I’m not an officer like you are. I’m just a medic, and there are other medics. I feel like I can do so much more once I’m an actual doctor.”

Jack, “All right. I guess that’s understandable.” He raises his middle finger at her, “What bones am I holding up?”

Michelle, exasperated, “Jack!”

Jack, “I want to see what you’re learning.”

Michelle, “The distal, middle, and proximal phalanges of the third finger.”

Jack grins, “Okay. I’m going to assume that’s the right answer.”

Michelle, “It is. This is something I’ve been thinking about. As much as I want to be with Abby, and helping the fight, I just can’t ignore the gut feeling that this is where I belong.”

Jack, “Well, if we’re lucky, we might not have to leave, anyway.”

Michelle, “What do you mean?”

Jack, "Mom wants Dad to leave the throne before it’s too late and he loses his shit permanently.”

Michelle, “Are you serious?”

Jack nods, “Yeah. I told her up front, me getting ownership of CrossGen meant I could go fight again. She still helped me take over, and now she’s gonna talk to Dad. If it looks like he might abdicate, I’ll stay. But if he won’t, it’s time to leave.”

Michelle shakes her head in disbelief, “Can you imagine being that lucky?”

Jack, “Anyway, before we can go anywhere, David has to get out of Gath. I have no idea when that’s going to happen.”

Michelle, “I hope it happens soon. Honestly… I don’t think the fighting is going to last much longer. With Silas wandering around at night, muttering about Kathleen… he’s in no shape to lead. How much longer can he hold out?”

  * Run-down synagogue in Ashdod, Asher teaches shul. A guard, Theo, watches over him. Abby cuts a piece of cake from the snack table, with her guard, Vincent, watching. David talks to Dr. Othman in the back of the pews. His guard, Adrian, looks on, bored.



Othman, “Look, I’m glad to help you, but I have a strict rule about not meeting with patients outside of regular office hours unless it’s an absolute emergency.”

David, “This isn’t about therapy. I talked to Shaw, he knows I’m seeing you.”

Othman, “I see a lot of patients.”

David, “I’ll bet I’m the only one with a guard who follows him into a synagogue.” He glances over at Adrian.

David, “Agreeing to treat me may have put you in danger.”

Othman, “I knew it would be a risk. Rabbi Levinson said so when he asked me. I may have retired from the army, but I’m still a soldier. I’m willing to do the right thing, even if it’s dangerous.”

David, “Okay, good. Stop me if this gets too far into therapy territory, but, you really have been helping me. I’ve actually been eating and sleeping.”

Othman, “Thrilled to hear it.”

David looks over at the snack table, “Actually, I’m gonna go grab some cake. Enjoy the sermon.” David goes over to the snack table and slices himself a piece of cake.

Suddenly, there’s a loud BOOM outside, causing everyone to jump. Adrian heads outside. With no one on him, David slips the knife into his pocket. Adrian rushes back in, and Theo and Vince rush up to him.

Adrian, “Stay calm and stay inside! A building down the street blew up, I don’t know what exactly happened!”

Theo, “New have to help!”

David speaks up, “I can help!”

Adrian, “Oh, no, I’m not supposed to let you out of my sight!”

Theo, “We can’t stay here and do nothing!”

Adrian goes over to David and grabs him.

Asher, “Hey, what are you doing?”

Adrian, “I’m putting you where you can’t get in trouble!” He pushes David into a small back room. Theo and Vincent push Asher and Abby in after him.

Adrian, “You’re staying here! Theo, Vincent, you go help. I’ll keep watch.” Theo and Vince rush off. Adrian turns around and shuts the door.

David, “What happened? Was it a bomb?”

Adrian, “How should I know?”

He starts to turn around, but David grabs him and holds the knife to his throat, “Make a noise and this is going in your neck.”

Abby suppresses a scream, “David, what the fuck?!”

David, “Get his shoelaces.”

Abby hurries over and begins untying Adrian’s boots.

Asher, “What the fuck are you doing?”

David, “Only got one guard, lots of chaos, perfect opportunity to get the fuck out of Gath. Asher, come here, I want you to hold the knife.”

Asher, “I can’t hold the knife!”

David, “It’s either hold him or kill him, come on!”

Asher goes over and gets hold of Adrian. David kneels down, takes the shoelaces from Abby, and ties Adrian’s ankles and wrists. He takes his ankle monitor off.

He looks up at Abby, “Come on, lemme get yours.”

Abby goes over, and David takes off her monitor, and then Asher’s, “Do you have an actual plan here?”

David, “I’ll just go hotwire a car. We can get close to the border, we may have to hike our way across it, but we can message Shay and Joel and have someone meet us.”

Asher, “That sounds way too simple.”

David, “You got a better plan?”

The door opens behind them. David grabs Adrian’s gun and points it at the door. Dr. Othman stands there, staring down at the scene.

David, “Can we borrow your car?”

  * In the parking lot, Othman leads David, Asher, and Abby towards his car.



Othman, “I was going to tell you that you were handling the explosion very well, but now I’m not so sure.”

David, “Sorry to disappoint you.”

Othman, “They’re going to be expecting the three of you to be together, so it may be wise for two of you to hide in the trunk. David’s the most recognizable, and Abby’s the smallest, so it should probably be you two.” He opens the trunk of his car.

Abby climbs in, and David follows, “I’m not squishing you, am I?”

Abby, “Fuckin’ cozy.”

Othman, “You good in there?”

David pulls his phone out, “As good as we can be. I’ll message Joel and Shay.”

Othman slams the trunk door shut. He turns to Asher, “You should probably take the kippah off. They’re gonna be looking for a rabbi.”

Asher takes his kippah off and gets into the car.

  * David, still in the trunk, talks to Shay over FaceTime, “I dunno how far we’ve gone, but we’re headed toward the border.”



Shay, “Where the fuck are you?”

David, “In the trunk of my therapist’s car. Abby’s with me.”

Abby, “W’sup?”

Shay, “Tell me about the explosion. It wasn’t the Amalekites, was it?”

David, “I don’t know.”

Shay, “A building that just happens to be down the street from you just happens to blow up which just happens to give you a getaway opportunity. That’s not a coincidence.”

David, “Yeah, well, whatever the hell it is, you need to send someone to meet us.”

Shay, “Will do. See you soon.”

David ends the call.

  * Up in the front, Asher spots a roadblock, “Oh, fuck.”



Othman, “Don’t worry. I got a plan. Give me the gun.”

Asher hands him the gun, and he sticks it in his waistband. They pull up, and Othman rolls down the front window.

A soldier asks, “ID?”

Othman reaches into his pocket, pulls out his wallet, and shows the soldier his driver’s license.

Asher pretends to search his pockets, “Oh, shit, I must have left my wallet at home. Didn’t know there’d be checkpoints today.”

The soldier looks at him, “Step out of the vehicle, please.”

Asher struggles not to panic, and they both get out of the car.

The soldier searches the car, “Do you have anything in the trunk?”

Othman, “Yes, actually.”

Asher looks at him, panic fully setting in. Othman goes to the trunk and opens it. David and Abby look up, terrified.

Othman gestures for Abby to stay put, and says, “It’s time to get out, David.” Slowly, David gets out of the trunk.

The soldier points his gun at him, “Put your hands where I can see them!”

David raises his hands. Two other soldiers come up. Othman pushes David down, pulls the gun out from behind him, and shoots the main soldier. He ducks and knocks the other over, and then shoots the second one, and then the one he knocked over. David jumps to his feet.

Othman, “Get back in!”

David squeezes back in the trunk, and Othman slams the door shut. He and Asher both get back into the car, and speed away.

Othman whoops, “Just like the good old days!”

Asher, “What the fuck?!”

Othman, “I may be retired, but I’m still a soldier!”

Asher looks at him in horror and confusion.

  * Rose, done up in an elegant nightgown and robe, sits down on the sofa in the living area, and calls out, “Silas!” Silas enters.



He sees Rose looking beautiful, and his eyebrows raise in interest, “Yes?”

Rose pats the seat next to her, “Come sit with me.”

Silas sits down, “You look radiant tonight.”

Rose seductively puts her hand on his shoulder, “I’ve had this dream, Silas, and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head.”

Silas, “Go on.”

Rose, “It’s a cabin, up in the mountains. Far away from everyone else. No business. No responsibilities. Just you and me. Together. Happy.”

Silas smiles sadly, “It’s a beautiful dream.”

Rose, “It’s not just a dream.” She picks up a tablet, and pulls up a picture of a beautiful cabin in the middle of lush pine woods, “I bought it yesterday. There’s a good stream for fishing nearby. Plenty of land for hunting. It’s the only building for miles. There’s even a small garden where you can grow tomatoes in the summertime. You deserve it. You deserve a good long rest, Silas.”

Silas, “I can’t just take off in the middle of two wars.”

Rose, “Perhaps it’s time you let Jack take over.”

Silas, “Jack? I can’t let him take over!”

Rose, “You’ve seen what he’s grown into. He’s a smart, capable leader! He’s strong like you are! He’ll be a good king!”

Silas, “He’ll be king for five minutes and then hand the crown over to Shepherd.”

Rose, quietly, “Perhaps that’s for the best, Silas.”

Silas looks at her like she just uttered a vulgar insult.

Rose goes on, “You wander around at night, muttering about Kathleen. You haven’t given yourself time to properly mourn for Seth.”

Silas, “Seth has nothing to do with how I behave as king.”

Rose, “Seth has everything to do with you as king! You never gave yourself the time to mourn for Kathleen, and look at what happened!”

Silas, “I became king!”

Rose, “Your children never knew she existed, and you were never happy! I know it still hurts you!”

Silas, “I can’t give up!”

Rose, “It’s not giving up! It’s doing the right thing!”

Silas, “Even my fucking wife has turned against me!”

Rose, weeping, “I’m not against you! I love you so, so much!”

Silas, “Then why are you telling me all this?!”

Rose, “You’re old, Silas! We’re old! You’ve worked so hard, done so much! It’s time to let it all go! You deserve peace!”

Silas, “I can’t!”

Rose, “Yes, you can!”

Silas, “Giving the crown over means I’ve failed! I can’t fail!”

Rose, “Please, Silas, please. While you still have the chance.”

Silas breathes heavily, tears form in his eyes, “I can’t, Rose. I just can’t.”

Rose, “I know this is what you want.”

Silas, “I do want it. All I’ve ever wanted was a happy, peaceful life, to make you happy, to make my children happy. But I’m a king, and a king makes sacrifices.”

Rose puts her face in her hands and weeps.

Silas, quietly, “Maybe when the war is over.”

· David sits in a border safehouse, having dinner with the rest of the AFG leadership, “God, I swear, even the food in Gath somehow is depressing. I am so glad to be out of there. I can’t wait to be back with Jack again. Do we have a plan in mind for getting him out of Shiloh?”

Shay, “It’ll be tricky, but with Monique in the palace, we can do it.”

David, “Good. If we’re lucky, maybe we can actually get Silas while we’re at it.”

Joel, “Hey, where’s the doctor you came with? He’s gotta be starving, too. Besides, we gotta thank him. If we had medals, we’d have to give him one.”

David, “I have a mental list of everyone who’s done something to deserve a medal. He’s definitely going on it.”

Joel, “Where is he, though?”

David, “I dunno.”

Shay, “Go find him. I want him to tell me about how he got those three Phils.”

David, “Okay, but he’s ex-Phil, so you can’t say that around him.”

Shay, “Got it.” David gets up and goes looking for Othman. He finds him sitting quietly by himself on a bed.

David, “Hey, we’ve got some really good food, if you’re hungry, and Shay and Joel want to thank you.”

Othman looks at David, sad and quiet, “I killed three of my fellow soldiers today.”

David, “I- I’m sorry. I don’t really know what to say to that.”

Othman shakes his head, “It’s alright. That’s war. I loved being a soldier. I loved the rush of battle. When I left the army, I couldn’t be happy, because nothing compared to the thrill of a fight. I got help, I put my life back together, I even became a therapist to help my fellow soldiers. And as soon as I got a whiff of the old action, look what it did to me. I took an oath to protect Gath and its citizens. Today, I shattered it in the most profane way possible.”

David, “I’m sorry.”

Othman, “That’s war. It turns men into beasts.”

David, “I’m doing everything I can to end it soon.”

Othman, “It’s not enough.”

  * Shaw sits, surrounded by his advisors. One looks at his phone, “Shepherd just made a social media post confirming that he, Hatch, and Levinson are back in Gilboa.”



Shaw is non-plussed, “He had to have been the one who set the bomb off, then. Damnit, he’s smart.”

Another advisor, “Sir, this was a suicide bombing, targeting civilians, two things Shepherd has sharply disavowed. I believe this was the work of the Amalekites.”

Shaw, “The Amalekites are Gilboa’s problem, not ours!”

Advisor 2, “They aren’t bound by national identity. They’ve attacked Aram in the past. They could very well turn and attack Gath.”

Shaw, “It doesn’t matter. It’s time to end the war once and for all. It’s time for the final invasion of Gilboa. Prepare the army. I want to attack within twenty-four hours.”

  * William walks through his Ammon home, wearing a robe, holding a high ball, looking exhausted. He sits down in his comfy chair, but then jumps and looks over in shock at the space next to him.



Amal stands there, pointing a gun at him and smiling wickedly, “Hi, William. I heard you want to be king.”


	37. S4, E12: Into Your Hands, I Commend My Spirit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the season 4 finale. Brace yourself. I cannot be responsible for what you're about to put yourself through.

**“Into Your Hands, I Commend My Spirit”**

(flashback) Fancy society ball, young Rose waits nervously around, looking stunningly beautiful, wearing a diamond necklace in the shape of a butterfly. She sees young Silas enter, dressed in his sharp army uniform, and her face lights up.

She approaches him, “Captain Benjamin!”

Silas smiles brightly at her, clearly surprised and delighted, “I thought we weren’t supposed to see each other anymore.”

Rose, “I’d like to speak with you privately.”

  * In a secluded area, Rose nervously holds Silas’s hands, “Silas, I- I’m pregnant. You’re the father.”



Silas’s eyes bulge, “Are- are you serious?”

Rose nods.

Silas looks down and says in a serious tone, “Oh my god,” he looks back up, and a huge smile illuminates his face, “Oh my god!” He grabs Rose tightly around the waist, lifts her off her feet and spins her around while she laughs, “I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it! No, wait!” He gently puts her back down, “I- I have to be careful with you. I can’t squeeze the baby! Is- is it a boy or a girl?”

Rose, “It’s twins.”

Silas dramatically puts his hands on his head, “No!”

Rose, “It’s too early to tell the genders, but there’s two heartbeats.”

Silas laughs deliriously, “Twins!”

Suddenly, his face grows serious, and he drops to his knee, “Rose, Rose- will you marry me?”

Rose, “I have to break off my engagement with Irwin, first.”

Silas, “Where is he?! I’ll do it for you!”

Rose laughs, “I think it will be better hearing it from me. I also have to tell my family. I’m going to do it tonight, where Alister can’t start screaming and make a scene.”

Silas nods, “Okay, okay.” He smiles brightly at Rose and stands up. He hugs her tightly, “I love you so much, Rose.”

Rose, “I love you, too, Silas.”

Silas looks Rose in the eye, “I swear, I’m going to do everything I can to make you, and our children happy. We’re going to be so happy together. You’ll see.”

  * Rose holds Silas’s hand and speaks to Alister, Jane, and William. We don’t hear what Rose says, but Alister’s wordless glare of rage and disgust says everything. He looks away, and then has to walk off, ashamed.



Jane has tears in her eyes, “You stupid slut!”

Silas, “Do not call Rose that.”

Jane hisses, “You deserve filth like him!” She walks off to join Alister.

William, coldly in control of his emotions, “Have you told Irwin yet?”

Rose, “No. But I will.”

William, “I will tell Irwin.”

Rose, “No, you won’t, I will.”

William glances over her shoulder, “Well, there he is. You’d better tell him.”

  * Outside, in glaring streetlights, Irwin yells at Silas, “You think you can just get my fiancée pregnant?”



William and a cadre of other tuxedo-clad society boys watch.

Rose, standing behind Silas, “If you’re going to yell at someone, Irwin, yell at me. I made the decision to sleep with Silas, and I’m the one who’s facing the consequences.”

Irwin, “Shut up, you cheap whore!”

Silas grabs Irwin’s throat with a single hand, “Do not talk to Rose like that. Apologize to her.”

Irwin struggles to loosen Silas’s grip, and William and his friends come up.

Silas, without taking his eyes off of Irwin, “Take one more step, and I’ll crush his trachea right now.”

William and the boys stop.

William, “Let go of him, Silas! You’ve made enough bad decisions tonight! We outnumber you!”

Silas looks coldly at William, and says with terrifying calm, “What, you don’t think that I couldn’t kill this pathetic insect with my bare hands? I’ve done it before,” he taps a medal on his chest, “That’s how I got medal number three.”

Rose, softly, “Let him go, Silas. He’s not worth the trouble.”

Silas looks at Irwin, “Apologize to Rose.”

Irwin struggles to speak, “Mmsrry.”

Silas, “What’s that? I can’t hear you.”

Irwin, enunciating more, “I’m sorry!”

Silas lets go of his throat. Irwin rubs his neck and coughs.

Silas looks back at William, “Do you still want to fight me?”

William, “Your father was right, giving you all those beatings.”

Silas punches William as hard as he can, knocking him over.

Silas, barely holding back his rage, “Do you still want to fight me?!”

William gets back on his feet and glares at Silas, “You’re lucky, Irwin! Rose would have been a stain on your family! She’s completely ruined the Cross name!”

Silas lunges at William, knocking him over. Silas straddles William, both hands wrapped tightly around his throat, cold, evil fury in his eyes.

Rose, “Silas, let him go!”

Silas continues to strangle William. He says in a low, deadly quiet voice, “All your money and all your power, what good is it to you now?”

Utter terror shines in William’s eyes, he sputters helplessly.

Rose, “Silas!” She pulls Silas off of William, who rolls over, coughing and gasping. He glares up at Silas, who sneers down at him.

Silas, “Just remember, you’re only alive right now because Rose decided to show you mercy,” he steps forward and kneels so that his face is close to William’s, “Because otherwise, this worthless white trash piece of shit would have killed you.”

Behind him, Rose glows with pride.

  * In a secluded area inside, Rose and Silas make out passionately. Rose, “Oh my god, that was so hot.”



Silas, “I’ll do it again, and again, and again.”

Rose laughs with delight.

Silas stops kissing her, and steps back. He drops down to one knee, looking up at her with awe in his eyes, “I- I’ve dreamt about how I’d propose to you ever since I was ten. I never would have imagined this is how it would go. I don’t even have a ring!”

He smiles adoringly up at Rose, “Rose Cross, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

Rose, tears of happiness willing in her eyes, “Yes, I will. I’d be honored to be Mrs. Silas Benjamin.” Silas beams, child-like.

He stands up, and politely kisses Rose on the lips, “I’m going to make you so happy. Our children are going to be so happy. Just you wait and see.” (end flashback)

  * ([“St. Jude,” Florence + The Machine](https://youtu.be/cKOksSyIiQ4)) In a hospital mental ward, Helen helps give out daily medications to a line of patients, smiling warmly.



· She plays a game of checkers with another patient and laughs at a joke.

· She chats happily with a group of nurses, looking right at home.

A doctor comes up to her, “Helen, it’s time for group.”

He leads her away, down a hallway, and into a room where patients sit in a circle, led by a doctor.

Helen sits in a chair as one of the patients, “I’ve been thinking about Silas quite a bit lately. Most of the time, I hate him. It’s so easy to hate him. But the memory of when I told him I was pregnant keeps coming back to me. I was so afraid. I expected him to be furious, to deny that it was his, or demand that I get an abortion. But he didn’t. I told him, and the way he looked down at me… there was so much tenderness in his eyes. He was happy to have another child,” she smiles, tears in her eyes, “I thought, this is a good man. I’m so lucky, my baby’s father is a truly good man. And when Seth came, and he was sick… Silas took care of him, all through his illness, and always made Seth happy. He loved Seth so much. I think about that, and it becomes much harder to hate him.” Tears fall down her face.

· Helen goes into a sparsely-furnished mental ward room. She sits down at her desk. It’s crowded with pictures of Seth. One shows Silas delightedly smiling down at the tiny bundle in his arms. Others show Silas proudly holding Seth in his lap. At the center, the family picture with Jack and Michelle, taken right before Seth died. Helen cries and looks at all the pictures. She tenderly touches Seth’s face, and wipes a tear from her eye, “Fuck you, Silas.” (end music)

  * Early morning, Michelle goes into an empty lecture hall, where a professor, Dr. Lund, is setting up the day’s lesson. He looks up and sees her, “You’re quite early, your highness.”



Michelle, “I wanted to ask a question, Dr. Lund.”

Lund, “Having trouble understanding the material?”

Michelle, “No, I- this is about something else. I- I don’t quite know how to ask it. I’d like to visit someone who I think is in the mental ward of St. George’s. Is there someone who can help me see her?”

Lund, “Oh, that’s a tricky one. Confidentiality and all.”

Michelle, “She wants to see me. I know she does. I just haven’t been allowed to see her.”

Lund thinks for a moment, “You may be able to sneak in with a student rotation today. I’ll let you borrow a lab coat.”

Michelle smiles, “Thank you. You don’t know how much you’re helping me.”

  * Shaw stands in front of a map, with a general pointing him through the attack plan.



General, “We’ll focus our attack here, on Mt. Gilboa. Once we break through the Gilboan lines, we’ll spread out, going to Shiloh and other cities.”

Shaw, “Silas likes to show up for battles. We should have a plan for getting him, and his son, too. I want a complete and unconditional surrender.”

General, “We have several contingency plans in place, but rest assured, if King Silas comes to us, he will not walk away from this battle.”

Shaw, “Excellent. Then begin the attack.”

  * Peaceful, glittering morning on the snow-covered Mt. Gilboa. Snow porn, interrupted by the roar of Goliaths, the exploding of bombs, and the rattle of guns. At camp, soldiers rush to the front lines.



An officer yells into the radio, “Gath is attacking on Mt. Gilboa! We’re out-numbered, we need all the backup we can muster!”

  * In Shiloh, Abner listens to the radio message, a look of dread on his face. He marches into the residency. Silas sits in his morning robe, eating toast and drinking coffee.



Abner, “Silas, we have a situation.”

  * Silas, in uniform, marches down a hallway with Abner, talking, “How the hell are we out-numbered?”



Abner, “I don’t know, but this could be a full-scale invasion.”

Jack sticks his head out of a doorway and yells, “What’s going on?”

Silas, “Gath is invading at Mt. Gilboa!”

Jack sees an opportunity, “I’m going with you!”

Silas stops dead in his tracks, and turns to face Jack, “What?”

Jack, “I have to defend my country! I’m going with you!”

  * AFG safehouse, David, Shay, Joel, and Isaiah watch a video message from Jack, “I’m sending this to Monique, and I hope she can forward it to you, but Gath is invading at Mt. Gilboa. Dad and Abner are going to the battle, and I’m going with them. I think this is our moment. If you can get to Mt. Gilboa, I think I can find you and meet up with you. I- I promised Mom we wouldn’t hurt Dad, we’d give him the opportunity to live a civilian life. So hurting him can’t be our goal. But, if the Phils hurt him… We know what we need to do. David, I love you, and I miss you so fucking much, and I want more than anything else to be with you again. If we play every single one of our cards right, we may be together again by tonight. I have to go. God willing, I’ll see you all again soon. Bye.”



David breathes heavily and brings his hand to his mouth.

Shay, “Okay, this’ll be easy. We just gotta get close, Jack can come and meet us.”

Joel, “Yeah, this’ll be easy.”

David, “This isn’t just another battle, Gath is trying to destroy Gilboa.”

Shay, “What?”

David, “Shaw said so! He told me himself, his plan is to take over Gilboa, and this is it! We have to rally all our forces and alongside the army!”

Joel, “Or we hang back, let Shaw take out Silas and Abner, and then swoop in and take the crown!”

David, “That’s not going to work! The only way we’re going to stop Gath is if we all fight! Look, we already have most of our groups nearby, where is everyone else?”

Shay, “Mostly in Shiloh.”

David, “Call them out, tell them to go to Mt. Gilboa and meet with us there. We need as many troops fighting as possible.”

Isaiah, “Let’s do it, man.”

Shay nods, “All right. Let’s do it.”

Joel, hesitant, “Okay, okay, but, fuck, man, we can’t blow this opportunity.”

  * William’s Ammon home. William is tied up in his easy chair while around him, Amal dances to [“Danger! High Voltage!” by The Electric Six](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a4gyJsY0mc) (long, glorious murder dance sequence).



Amal, “Come on, William, have a little fun!” He wiggles his hips and moves his feet.

William glares at him, “What do you want from me?”

Amal, “A smile would be nice!” He rhythmically thrusts his hips against William’s head.

William, “Stop fucking around! I lost my company! I can’t support you anymore!”

Amal stops dancing, “Yeah, I know, but don’t worry, that’s not why I’m here.” He pulls up a chair and sits down across from William, “Someone told me that you want to be king.”

William, “I have a deal in place with Premier Shaw and King Warner, once Gath and Ammon conquer Gilboa, I will receive the crown. It was rightfully mine in the first place, and Silas Benjamin stole it from me and my family!”

Amal, “Wait, wait, wait a minute, what?”

William, “I have a plan in place, a plan that is being carried out as we speak, and it will make me king of Gilboa!”

Amal, “And what are the details of that plan?”

William, “It started with the gossip website, buy it, get Shepherd kicked out of Ammon. You injure him and herd him up to Gath, he looks like Shaw’s pawn. Silas is drawn into two wars, and Shepherd is out of the way. Gath and Ammon overthrow Silas, I get the crown.”

Amal, “Seriously? Man, I thought _I_ was fucking crazy! You’re actually willing to destroy your country to be king?!”

William, “It’s Silas’s fault, if he’d had never-”

Amal, suddenly very serious, “Never blame someone else for the consequences you’re too scared to face. It’s cowardly and despicable.”

William, “You have no right to call anyone despicable!”

Amal, “Yeah, I do. I’ve never once claimed to be noble or decent or righteous. I’m a batshit insane terrorist trying to destroy society, and I’m fucking honest about it!”

William, “Any other king would hunt you down, but I’ll give you mercy and let you go.”

Amal, “I don’t fucking care. You see, my thing is, I don’t like kings. Any kings. Like at all. That’s a really big part of this whole terrorist schtick.”

William, trying to hide his growing panic, “I’m not king yet.”

Amal, “And since you’re no longer able to support me, I really have no use for you.”

William, “Silas is going to fall soon, and Shepherd is still in Gath!”

Amal, “No, he’s not.”

William, “What?”

Amal, “We set off a bomb in Ashdod. Shepherd was able to get out of there in the confusion. I believe he’s in Gilboa now.”

William, “You said you hate kings, why the fuck would you give Shepherd the chance to escape?!”

Amal, “Would you believe me if I told you I did it purely for the drama? I wanted to see what would happen. Still gonna kill him in the end, this just makes it more fun.”

William’s eyes widen in horror, he realizes just how much of a mistake he’s made.

  * Michelle blends in with a group of medical students, following a doctor into the mental ward of the hospital. She ducks down an empty hallway. She starts looking through door windows, checking room by room. Finally, she looks through one, and sees Helen, sitting at her bed. She opens the door, and Helen looks up at her.



Helen smiles, “Michelle?”

Michelle shuts the door behind her, “Hi.”

Helen, “You’re the first visitor I’ve gotten here!”

Michelle takes a few nervous steps forwards, “I had to sneak in here. If I get caught, I could get into real trouble.”

Helen, “I’m so glad you’re here! And look at you! You’re a doctor!”

Michelle blushes, “I’m just a med student. I had to borrow the lab coat to sneak in here.” She takes the coat off.

She sits down next to Helen, “What happened? How did you get here?”

Helen, “I tried to kill Silas. It was after Seth’s funeral. I went after him with a knife. I gave him a good cut on his cheek, but security got me before I could finish the job.”

Michelle’s voice trembles, “He said he fell down the stairs. Even after I told him to stop fucking lying to me, he couldn’t help himself.”

Helen, “Honestly, I prefer this place to the palace. There are worse places to deal with grief than one surrounded by psychiatrists.”

Michelle, “I got a new tattoo, one for Seth.”

She lifts up the sleeve of her shirt, revealing a portrait of Seth, smiling, surrounded by brilliantly colored flowers, an anatomical heart at the corner, a vibrant monarch butterfly above like a guardian angel, “Seth Benjamin” written in fine script underneath.

Helen weeps, “It’s beautiful.”

Michelle, “The butterfly is my Aunt Kathleen. I didn’t learn about her until after I ran away, but I can’t help but feel like she’s always been there, protecting me. I just wish she could have been there for Seth, too.”

Helen shakes her head, “If you’re trying to make sense of death, don’t. There are no real answers as to why some people live and some people die. Maybe it’s God’s will. Maybe it’s fate. Maybe it’s just chance and an indifferent universe.”

Michelle, “I want to help you get out of here, Helen.”

Helen, “I’m okay here. Because I used to be a nurse, I’m allowed some minor duties. And I have absolutely nothing else out there in the world for me. I’ve carved out a little bit of something close to happiness, here.”

Michelle, “You don’t deserve to be here.”

Helen, “Maybe I don’t. But I’m here. And I’m fine with that.”

  * A janky old van races down a mountain road, followed by others, the AFG. Asher drives the van, while David sits in the passenger seat, and talks back to a unit of soldiers that include Cameron the medic, “We aren’t going into the main battle, we’re going to retrieve Jack. Once we have him, we may go fight, but Jack and his safety are our priority, got it?”



Soldiers, “Got it.”

  * In another van, Shay, Joel, Isaiah, and a couple of other soldiers are crowded into the back, ready for battle.



Shay, “Cut my teeth fighting the fuckin’ Phils, I’m so ready for this! Comfort food! Are we ready?!”

The soldiers around her shout, “Ready!”

They pass a sign, MT. GILBOA, 12 MILES.

  * In their own van, Adam says to Ryan, “Battle, like army battle, with tanks?”



Ryan, “Not just tanks, Goliaths.”

Adam, trying carefully not to be too excited, “You mean…. We might be able to blow one up?”

Aside from them, Liam snorts a nose full of coke.

Ryan, “We’re trying to _survive_ this battle.”

Liam, “Fuck the Phils, man, blow up all their fuckin’ Goliaths! Someone has to win this battle!”

· In his van, David, “I’m gonna message Jack, it’s time to start making a plan.”

Asher, “We have several safehouse options, they’re already to take in a large number of troops.”

David texts, “Almost there, stay safe. The AFG is going to fight.”

  * In a command tent, Jack hangs in the background while Abner and Silas watch the progress of the battle. His phone buzzes, he sees the message from David. He steps outside. In the clear air, the sound of battle rings.



Jack sends his location to David’s phone, with the text, “Command center. I’ll find somewhere else to wait for you.”

Suddenly, behind him, a rocket hits the tent.

Jack shoves his phone back into his pocket and rushes in, “Dad!”

Silas lies on the ground, a gash on his forehead.

Jack pulls him up, “Come on, Dad, we’re getting out of here!”

Abner grabs Silas’s shoulder, “Come on!”

They exit the burning tent.

Jack, “Dad, are you all right?!”

Silas, “I’m fucking fine, we have to re-establish the command center, Linus, find a place to do it!”

Abner, “If the Phils are firing rockets, we have to get away from here, that means a retreat.”

Silas, “We are not fucking retreating, not yet!”

  * In their van, Shay shows a live satellite feed to Joel, Isaiah, and the others, “Put units here, here, here, and here. That looks like where the Phils are doing the worst damage. It’s gonna be intense. We need to prepare for heavy losses. We’d better pray God is on our side today.”



  * At the command center, Jack talks to Abner and Silas, “The AFG is coming, they’re gonna be here soon, they’re gonna fight with us!”



Abner, “What?! You treasonous brat! No!”

Jack, “We need the fucking help! It’s fight with the AFG or retreat!”

Silas doesn’t respond. His eyes are distant and un-focused.

Abner, “Silas!”

Silas, “We’re getting our asses kicked. Let them fight.”

  * ([“Chop Suey!” System of a Down](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlcJQYON2Go)) The AFG rushes into battle alongside the Gilboan army. Soldiers set up their positions and fire. Gath returns fire with bullets and bombs. Ryan heroically takes out a line of Phils, leading his unit further into the Gath line. Elsewhere, a group of AFG soldiers come under fire from a Goliath.



A soldier huddles behind a boulder, shouting into their headset, “We’ve got a Goliath firing on us, we need backup!” Liam fires over the top of the boulder, trying to hold the onslaught off.

Nearby, Adam hears this, and inspiration comes over his face, “I’m on my way!” He grabs a rocket launcher and takes off. He runs to where he can see the Goliath, and he looks around making a plan. Finally, he climbs up a tree. He takes aim and fires, taking the Goliath out. Behind the boulder, Liam sees this, and cackles with glee. Adam looks down at the flaming tank, eyes wide with disbelief.

Liam yells, “You fucking did it, man!”

· Asher drives David towards the command center.

David points at a plume of smoke, “That’s the command center, it must have been hit!”

Asher, “Where should I leave you?”

David looks down at his phone and sees Jack’s position. He points to a place higher up, “Leave me there. It’s close enough.”

He types in a message to Jack, “I’m coming.”

Asher stops the van, and David hops out.

  * At the command center, Jack gets the message. Another rocket lands, knocking him over. He struggles to his feet and looks around. Abner lays on the ground, clutching a bleeding shin and screaming. Silas is nowhere to be seen.



Jack goes up to Abner, “Where’s Dad?”

Abner, “Jesus fucking Christ, get me a medic!”

Jack, “Where is Dad?!”

Abner, “He should be here!”

Jack looks around, frantic, and sees a track of footprints in the snow, wandering up on a path, “Oh, fuck.”

  * Up on the path, out of sight of camp, surrounded by peaceful scenery and the sound of battle, Silas wanders, looking up.



Kathleen stands above him, smiling and laughing, “You can’t catch me!” She runs up the path, and Silas follows.

  * At the command center, Jack looks at his phone, and sees David coming. He looks back and forth between the footprints and his phone, torn between the two.



Finally, he shoves the phone in his pocket, and goes to Abner, “Get me a unit of soldiers, we’re gonna go find Dad!”

· David leads his soldiers up a snowy hill to the command center. He glances at his phone and stops.

The other stop, one asks, “What is it?”

David, “Jack’s moving, he’s going somewhere. We’ve gotta follow him. He’s going this way, come on!” He begins walking towards where Jack went off.

  * At the palace, Rose stares out a window, the city going about its daily business below her. Thomasina enters the room behind her, “Is there anything you need, ma’am?”



Rose shakes her head, “No. I’ve held my breath through enough battles to know that nothing makes it any easier.”

Thomasina, “Perhaps, then, just some company, ma’am?” She sits down on a sofa. Rose looks at her, and then goes and joins her.

Rose, “I suppose you know what it’s like, waiting to hear about your husband in battle.”

Thomasina, “I do.”

Rose, “Once, when Silas was still a soldier, he got hit in the head by a gigantic rock, sent him into a coma. I sat by his side in the hospital for three days, praying for him to wake up. When he finally opened his eyes, he looked up at me, and said, ‘Hello, Rose. You look beautiful today,’ like nothing had ever happened,” she smiles sadly at the memory, but then grows serious again, “It’s worse, having a husband and a son both fighting. I swear, it almost killed me to send Jack off to Hollingsworth. I knew it was the wrong decision, but Silas insisted, Jack needed to be toughened up. I should have been firmer. I should have said no. But how could I say no to my king? He had so many other things to worry about. I couldn’t add to it. This is going to be his last battle. I’m going to bring Silas to peace. Even if that means he’s no longer king.”

  * Jack and his troops continue to hurry up the path. He sees Silas, standing still up ahead, “Dad!” He starts running. When he gets close, a sudden BANG of sniper fire. The soldier closest to him falls. Jack ducks. BANG, BANG, BANG, his soldiers are taken out, leaving him alone.



  * BANG, Amal fires a shot into a fancy lamp, shattering it.



William panicked, “That’s a rare antique!”

Amal, “All the better.”

He shoots another lamp, “Haven’t you gathered that I like destroying things? First a lamp, then society.”

William, “What do you want from me?!”

Amal, “Nothing. There is absolutely fucking nothing you can give me now.”

William, “Then let me go!”

Amal, “Nope. You aren’t as good as creating drama as David Shepherd is. If you were, I might let you go, have some more fun with you, but, you aren’t!” He points the gun at William’s head.

William, “Please, don’t!”

Amal, “I told you, I don’t like kings. You should have listened to me.” He fires the gun, and William’s head falls back.

  * Jack runs up to Silas, “Dad!” He reaches Silas and sees what he’s staring at. Shaw points a gun straight up at him, a group of soldiers behind him.



Shaw, “Hello, Jack! I’m glad you’ve come!”

He points his gun at Jack, “Drop your weapon. Get on your knees. Put your hands in the air.”

Jack does as he’s told. Shaw gestures for a soldier to come take Silas. He drags Silas over to where he can fully view Shaw pointing the gun at Jack.

Shaw gloats, “How does this feel, Silas? I want you to know how I felt when I found my leader’s headless body, and the bodies of my friends and fellow officers around him.”

Silas growls, “Blow it out your ass, Gerald!”

  * Michelle talks to Helen, “Sometimes, I think that I understand Silas, but then, other times, he’s still a complete mystery. The only thing that I’ve always known for sure is that he loves Rose. He practically worships her, calls her the best thing in his life, his joy, his queen. How could he love Rose so much, and still cheat on her with you?”



Helen shakes her head, “I- I don’t know if I can give you the right answer. I know he had a real affection for me, I suppose you could even say that he loved me, but I knew I couldn’t come close to Rose. There’s no competing with a man’s first love. We began our affair when you were at your sickest. The wait for your donor heart to come in, it was hell on him. I think I was a distraction from all that. And then, I got pregnant. He got me the farm. When he showed it to me, he said, ‘I like to think that this is the happy life I could have had. Our child is going to be happy.’”

Michelle, “Was Seth happy there?”

Helen smiles, sadly, “Always. Even when he was sick. At least until we moved into the palace,” she wipes tears from her eyes, “I think Silas has never been truly happy as king. The life he had with me and Seth was a pale imitation of what happiness he could have had. As Seth’s father, he could be the man he wanted to be, not King Silas.”

Michelle, “Do you think he deserves to be happy?”

Helen thinks for a moment, “I think he deserves peace. But I don’t know if he can find peace in this life.”

  * ([Reprise of Chop Suey! “Father…”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlcJQYON2Go)) Shaw keeps his gun pointed at Jack, “Gath is going to conquer Gilboa, Silas! Your wife and daughter will bow to me!”



Down below, David sees the forms of Shaw, Silas, and Jack, “No! No, no, no!” He starts running as fast as he can.

Shaw, “Tell me how this feels, Silas!”

Silas, “Fuck you!”

Shaw shoots Jack in the head without even looking at him. Jack falls back.

Silas and David both yell at the same time, “JACK!”

Jack lies still, eyes open, blood pouring from his wound, his nose, his mouth, and ears, staining the snow around him bright red.

Silas looks down at his son, torn apart with grief, “Jack!”

Shaw looks over and sees David. He points his gun at him, “Don’t come any closer, Shepherd. You’re out-numbered.”

David falls to his knees in front of Shaw, panting and crying. The unit behind him stops.

Silas sobs, “Oh, god, Jack!”

Shaw points his gun at Silas, “I have been waiting twenty years to kill you! I’m going to relish this!”

Silas looks at Shaw, and his grief turns to steely determination, “I’ll never give you the chance, you son of a bitch!” He elbows the soldier holding him hard in the stomach. He grabs the gun, points it behind his ear, and pulls the trigger. He falls dead into the snow.

Shaw, “No! God _damn_ it!” He fires several shots into Silas’s lifeless body, kicks it, and lets out a furious yell. He looks over at David, who stares helplessly back at him, tears freezing to his face. The AFG soldiers point their guns at him.

Shaw sneers, “Congratulations, Shepherd. You’re king, now. This is what you have to look forward to.” He turns to his soldiers, “Let’s go.”

They all turn and begin the march back to camp.

David watches them leave, and then collapses face-first into the snow. He quietly sobs with loss and defeat.


	38. S5, E1: Ascencion

“ **Ascension** ”

Mt. Gilboa. The bright sun shines down on the body of Silas, surrounded by brilliantly red blood. Jack lays in the snow, blood pouring from his nose, mouth, and ears. David lays face-down, sobbing helplessly, the scenery around him cruelly peaceful and beautiful. Jack blinks.

Cameron rushes over to Jack, takes a glove off, and feels for a pulse, “He’s still breathing!”

David raises his head, “What?”

Cameron opens his medic’s kit, “He’s still alive, call a transport!”

David sits up and immediately yells into his radio, “We need a transport! We need one, stat, Jack’s been shot!”

Cameron, bandaging Jack’s head as quickly as he can, “Cranial GSW!”

David, “Cranial GSW, we have to get him to the field hospital!”

A voice on the radio, “10-4, sending a transport.”

Cameron begins to perform CPR on Jack.

David crawls forward, and takes Jack’s hand, “Can he really survive this?”

Cameron, “Chances are slim, and it’s gonna be ugly, but if we move fast, he might survive.”

  * A Gilboan transport vehicle races towards the hospital, Cameron still performing CPR on Jack in the back.



Behind them, David sits in another transport, trying to hold on to hope. They reach the hospital, and Cameron and a Gilboan soldier rush Jack inside. David hops out of the transport and runs towards the hospital.

A soldier stops him, “I’m sorry, you can’t go in there.”

David, “Silas is dead, I’m the fucking king!”

Soldier, “If you want him to live, you won’t create any distractions for the doctors.”

  * Back at the command center, Abner sits with a bandaged leg.



Over the radio, “King Silas is dead!”

Abner grabs his radio, “What? What happened?”

Radio, “I don’t know, he’s full of bullets, and he’s dead. Prince Jack has been shot in the head, and is being taken to the hospital.”

Abner, stunned, mutters, “Shit.” Suddenly, he starts yelling, “Prepare me a helicopter, I have to get to Shiloh!”

  * Asher parks the van on the road by the hospital. He gets out and goes running up to David, still standing vigil outside the hospital, “David!”



David, “Shaw shot Jack in the fucking head. Silas killed himself.”

Asher, “We gotta get you to Shiloh. If you want to be king, we have to.”

David, “I am not fucking leaving Jack!”

Asher, “You have to get to Shiloh!” He grabs David and begin pulling him towards the van.

David fights against him, “No! I am not leaving Jack!”

Asher yells at one of the other AFG soldiers, “Help me! We have to get him to Shiloh!” The soldier grabs David and begins pushing him towards the van.

David screams, “NO! JACK! JACK! I HAVE TO BE WITH JACK! LET ME GO!”

Asher and the soldier wrestle David into the van and shut the door. Asher yells at the other soldiers, “Come on!” They all come and get into the van.

  * In a helicopter flying over the mountains, Abner talks into a radio, “Have Silas’s will brought out. I don’t want a fight when I arrive.”



  * In the residence, Rose sits with Thomasina.



A soldier comes in, “Ma’am, I have some news.”

Dread washes over Rose’s face.

  * At the hospital, Michelle leaves Helen’s room, Helen behind her. In the main room, all the nurses and patients are gathered, watching the TV.



Michelle, “What’s going on?”

  * In the situation room, Reinhardt sits numbly, still listening to the words on the radio, not taking them in, “We’ve retrieved the body. It is confirmed: King Silas is dead. The body is in transport now. General Abner is inbound to Shiloh.”



Reinhardt draws in a sharp breath, struggling to keep his composure, genuinely stricken with grief. Behind him, radio operators and army officers look at each other sadly.

An officer, “Sir, do you have any orders?”

Reinhardt doesn’t answer.

Officer, “Sir?”

Reinhardt comes to his senses, “Keep-keep fighting. Keep fighting until the Phils retreat!”

Aside, a radio operator says to his neighbor, “Who’s gonna be king?” They both look at Reinhardt.

Reinhardt sees them looking at them, and then turns around and leaves, “I need to speak to Queen Rose!”

  * Abner’s helicopter lands at the palace. Rose watches, determinedly not crying.



Reinhardt whispers to her, “No matter what he says, Silas told me that I am next king! I have his word!”

Rose, “Jack’s not dead yet!”

Abner climbs out of the helicopter, wobbling on crutches, “Where is the will?!”

Reinhardt, “He fucking told me! I’m the king!”

Rose, “Shut up, both of you! This is only for Jack’s incapacitation!”

Abner, “Silas’s will has the final say!”

  * In Silas’s office, Thomasina reads, “In the event of my death, kingship to kingdom of Gilboa will not be passed to my son, Jonathan. The crown shall go to my closest friend and ally, Linus Abner.”



Reinhardt, “That’s wrong!”

Thomasina, “It’s his handwriting.”

Reinhardt, “No, King Silas told me, that I am the next king.”

Rose, softly, “When is it dated?”

Thomasina looks down and sighs, “The day after Prince Seth died.”

Reinhardt, “It’s old! It’s outdated! He told me after that! I am the rightful king!”

Rose squeezes her eyes tight shut, and puts her hand over her face, “Silas’s will has the final say. Linus is king.”

Reinhardt begins to protest, “This isn’t-!”

Rose, “You can fight it if you want Caesar, but think for a moment what a succession crisis would do to our country right now. We’re still fighting on Mt. Gilboa, and the AFG is there. The will is clear. The people support David Shepherd. Do you really think you’d come out the winner in this fight?”

Reinhardt quivers with rage and indignation, knowing she’s right.

Rose looks at Thomasina, “Prepare a press conference. Linus will make the announcement.” She looks back over at Reinhardt, “Get back to what you were doing before. We still have a battle to win.”

  * Asher speeds down a highway, the news playing on the radio. David listens tensely.



Announcer, “We go now to the palace, where an announcement about King Silas is going to be made.”

  * At the palace, Abner stands at a podium, wearing a fresh new uniform. Rose stands behind him, helpless and wordless with grief.



Abner, “Today is a day of great tragedy. King Silas Benjamin of Gilboa has died in battle. His son, Prince Jack, also suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Doctors are currently treating him, but he is not expected to live.”

Rose fights against her tears.

Abner, “The crown of the kingdom of Gilboa now falls to me.”

o In the van, David screams, “NO!”

o Abner, “In his will, King Silas specified that the crown will not go to Prince Jack or anyone else. I am the king of Gilboa.”

o David punches at the side of the van, “No, no, no, no!”

o Abner, “My coronation will be tomorrow morning. Funeral plans for King Silas will be announced later. Thank you.”

o David, “Pull the fucking van over! PULL OVER!”

Asher brings the van to a stop. David bursts out the door, and runs across the side of the road. He trips in the snow, falls to his knees, and vomits. He falls over to his side and sobs.

Asher comes up behind him, “David?”

David, “It’s never going to end!”

Asher, “What?”

David, “The fighting! I thought we could end it today, but it’s only been made worse! It’s never, ever going to end!”

Asher kneels down beside him, “I’ll take you to the nearest safehouse. I’ll tell Abby to go there, and she’ll help you put together some kind of strategy-”

David interrupts him, “If Jack dies, I don’t want to live anymore.”

Asher, “Don’t say that.”

David, “The only reason I’ve kept fighting is because I know that the only way I can live in peace with Jack is if I’m king. Jack’s the only thing I care about. I can’t be king without him. If he dies… I don’t want to live.”

Asher puts his hand on David’s shoulder, and they sit in silence.

  * In Andrew and Chloe’s apartment, Chloe tearfully watches the news. Andrew paces and listens to his phone.



William’s brusque voice, “Leave a message.” Andrew ends the call.

Chloe looks back at him, “Can you reach him?”

Andrew, “No. His phone is turned off.”

Chloe, “Oh. Well, I guess he’s processing like the rest of us.”

Andrew, “He never turns his phone off.” He huffs and tries calling again.

The phone goes straight to answering, “Leave a message.”

Andrew, “FUCK!”

Chloe, “You okay, babe?”

Andrew, “If Jack dies, I get CrossGen back!”

Chloe, “No, I don’t think it works that way.”

Andrew, “Shut up! I need to talk to my father!”

He calls again, “Leave a message.”

  * At the palace, a soldier talks to Rose, “The doctors have finished operating on Prince Jack, they’re preparing a medical transport to bring him to Shiloh.”



Rose, “Thank god. Bring me there. Where’s Michelle?”

  * Michelle sits in the waiting area of the hospital, Helen holding her hand. Rose comes in.



Michelle jumps up and runs to her, “Mom!”

They hug tightly, and Michelle cries. Rose looks over and sees Helen looking back at her. Rose looks away.

  * At the safehouse, David lays in bed, staring up blankly at the ceiling. Abby enters the room.



She pulls up a chair and sits down next to him, “How are you doing, David?”

David, “Kinda numb right now. I think my emotional system got overloaded and blew out. I’m not really feeling anything.”

Abby, “We need to decide what we’re gonna do next. I think just making a statement is a good place to start.”

David, “No… not, not now. I’m staying the hell away from anything that might make me feel something again.”

Abby, “Asher told me what you said, about if Jack dies.”

David, “He took away my gun. I think he has my meds, too.”

Abby, “If Jack dies, you can go ahead and kill yourself. I get it. I’d probably feel the same thing if it were Michelle who got shot. But Jack’s not dead yet. You can’t give up fighting. Jack’s gonna be so pissed if he finds out you gave up on him.”

David, “I’m not giving up. I’m just trying to fucking cope.”

Abby, “Good. You don’t have to make a statement right now. Actually, I think it’ll be pretty powerful if we say something during Abner’s coronation. Everyone will be listening to you and paying no attention to Abner.”

David, “I don’t want to think right now.”

Asher enters the room, holding a phone, “Hey, David, I have a phone call for you, I think you might want to take it.”

David, “What? Who is it?” He sits up. Asher hands him the phone.

Jessie’s face is on the screen, “David?”

Tears well in David’s eyes, “Mom?” He takes the phone.

Jessie, “Hi, baby. I know you don’t want me to call you, but, I had to. How are you?”

David, “I- I am very not good right now, Mom.”

Jessie, “Oh, David, baby, I always prayed you would never have to go through something like this.”

David breaks down crying.

  * In the situation room, Reinhardt grimly watches a satellite view of troop movements.



An officer says to another one, “The Gath lines are retreating. Do we go after them, or keep fighting?”

Other officer, “The king is the one to make that call.”

Reinhardt, “Don’t go after them, the men have been fighting all day, they’re exhausted. Go after them with drones and airstrikes, but no further troop movement.”

Other officer, “That’s not your authority, Director. Your only concern is intelligence.”

Reinhardt, “I know. But it’s what you should do.”

Other officer, “I’ll brief the king.”

  * At Mt. Gilboa, the sun sets. Guns have gone quiet, but the devastation remains. Shay sits on a stump, leaning on her gun, Joel and Isaiah by her side, exhausted soldiers around them.



A way off, Adam and Liam walk towards them, laughing and high-fiveing.

Liam, “You did it, man, you finally lived your dream, how does it fucking feel?”

Adam, “Feels pretty fucking good.”

Liam, “Shit man, we stopped them dead in their tracks! No one can fuck with us!”

As they approach the others, Adam sees their grim faces and grows more serious while Liam continues to laugh. Shay gives Liam a dirty look.

Adam nudges him, “Maybe now isn’t a great time to celebrate, man.”

Back with Shay and Isaiah, Joel asks, “So what are we doing now?”

Shay, “Tell our units to set up camp. The fighting’s not over. Probably gonna resume tomorrow. If we could hold them today, we can push them back tomorrow. In the meantime… I think we need to be with David. We gotta figure out what the fuck we’re gonna do about Abner.”

  * In his apartment, Andrew’s phone rings.



He answers it right away, “Dad?”

A voice over the phone, “Is this Andrew Cross?”

Andrew, “Yes? Who is this?”

Voice, “This is Capt. Hanover of the Rabbath fire department. There was a fire at William Cross’s home today. The house was destroyed.”

Andrew, annoyed, “What? Jesus, really?”

Hanover, “You were listed as next of kin.”

Andrew, “I- I’m his son. Is there anything I need to do?”

Hanover, “Human remains were found in the home. We have reason to believe that they may be William Cross.”

Andrew, “What?”

Hanover, “We need dental records to confirm the identity. Do you know the name of your father’s dentist?”

Andrew, “What- what are you saying? Is my dad dead?”

Hanover, “We have yet to confirm anything, which is why we need the dental records.”

Andrew, “I don’t know who my dad’s dentist is! Ask-ask his secretary! Ask Martha!”

Hanover, “Do you know her last name?”

Andrew, “No, she- she’s Martha! He only ever called her Martha!”

Hanover, “Don’t worry. We’ll find a way to contact her. In the meantime, if the remains are indeed those of your father, do you have a preferred funeral home?”

Andrew, “What?!”

Hanover, “Once the remains are released from state custody, they will be given to a selected funeral home. If you cannot pay for funeral expenses-”

Andrew, “I can pay some fucking expenses! I just- Jesus, I live in Gilboa! What are some good funeral homes in Rabbath?”

Hanover, “I’m not allowed to recommend any businesses, I’m sorry.”

Andrew grows exasperated, “Can I call you back?” Before getting an answer, he hangs up the phone. He sits there, stunned and breathing heavily.

  * Michelle and Rose stand in a hospital room. Jack lays in a bed, hooked up to a ventilator, his head swaddled in bandages. What’s visible of his face is grotesquely swollen.



A female doctor, Dr. Hussein, “I know you’re a medical student, Michelle. How much do you know about penetrating brain trauma?”

Michelle, “I’m still memorizing anatomy. I haven’t gotten to neurology yet.”

Dr. Hussein, “Well, believe it or not, Jack is very lucky. Only about ten percent of cranial gunshot victims make it into the operating room, and of those, only half make it out. The bullet’s path stayed in the left hemisphere of his brain. When the path crosses into both hemispheres, it’s almost always fatal. The bullet stayed clear of the brain stem. It would have killed him almost immediately if it had been hit. The bullet passed cleanly through the back of the skull. It may seem illogical, but bullet wounds to the brain are better when there’s an exit wound. If the bullet stays in the brain, it can move around and cause a lot of damage. The medic who was at the scene deserves a medal. Performing CPR saved Jack’s life. The doctors at the field hospital did an excellent job, too. They removed all the bone fragments and blood clots and performed a decompressive craniectomy. They removed a large section of his skull.”

Rose shudders in revulsion.

Michelle, “That’s what you’re supposed to do, Mom. It lets the brain swell and not be damaged.”

Dr. Hussein, “That’s right. Right now, we’re keeping him in an induced coma. Basically, it lets the brain rest.”

Rose, “When will he wake up?”

Dr. Hussein, “Jack has been lucky to make it this far, but there’s still a real chance he may not wake up. We’ll monitor his brain activity for the next few days. If he doesn’t show signs of improvement, you’ll have to make some choices about whether or not to keep him on life support.”

Rose nods grimly.

Dr. Hussein, “If he does wake up, there’s no telling what his cognitive state is going to be. He’s very likely going to be left with some life-long disabilities. The left side of the brain controls speech. He may not be able to speak properly, or even at all, and he may not be able to understand things that are said to him. He may not even fully understand what’s going on around him. He may have problems with balance and coordination that leave him unable to walk. He’s likely to lose hearing in his right ear and sight in his right eye. He’s likely going to experience headaches and seizures, as well. But at the same time, he may recover and be close to the way he was before. Most likely, he’ll be somewhere in between. There are still a million complications he can develop. His recovery during next two weeks is going to be critical. It will give us a sense of what his capabilities are going to be. But this is all, of course, only if he wakes up.”

Rose reaches out and holds Jack’s hand.

Dr. Hussein, “Is there anything else you need, or want to know?”

Rose, “No. Thank you, Dr. Hussein.”

Dr. Hussein, “Jack has a very long, hard road ahead of him, but he’s young, strong, and in good health. That improves his chances more than anything else.”

Michelle, quietly, “Thank you.”

Dr. Hussein leaves the room.

Rose gazes down at Jack and gently strokes his cheek. There chin trembles and a tear runs down her cheek.

Quietly, she says, “He’s going to have a scar on his forehead,” she wipes the tear from her eye, “He’s always been so handsome.”

Michelle, “If he doesn’t show signs of recovery…” she sighs heavily, “He wouldn’t want to be kept alive artificially.” She sniffs.

Rose, softly, “He’ll still be handsome. He’ll just have a little scar.”

Michelle, “Did you hear what I said, Mom? His forehead is the last thing-”

Rose interrupts her, “Yes, I heard you.”

There’s a knock at the door.

Rose, “Come in.”

A soldier enters, “King Silas’s body is here, ma’am. Would you like to see him?”

Rose stares at him for a moment, “I don’t want to leave Jack.”

Michelle, “I’ll stay here, Mom. You go see Dad.”

Rose looks at Michelle, and then gathers herself, “Yes- yes, I want to see him.” She takes a deep breath and looks at the soldier, “Bring me to my husband.”

  * Rose follows the soldier down into the morgue. The doctor opens a door, showing a flag-draped body. Rose shudders, and steps towards it. She approaches the form of the head, and stares for a long moment. Gingerly, she pulls back the flag. Silas lies there, complete serenity on his face. Rose gazes at him, and she can no longer hold back the tears she’s fought all day. She places her head on his chest and sobs.



  * Michelle sits alone with Jack, trying to warm his hands. Tears run down her face as she rubs his fingers. She places his hand back down and sobs.



She looks up at the ceiling, “Is it not enough that he’s in a coma? Why do his hands have to be cold, too?” She ugly sobs and tries in vain to wipe the tears from her face.

She looks back up and says quietly, “Is this because I broke my vows? You punish me by keeping me fine while everyone I love suffers? It’s not fair! Why should Seth and Jack suffer because of me?! Please, just fucking punish me and have it over with!” She breaks down crying, “Don’t You dare fucking touch Abby! If You hurt Abby…” she drifts off and sobs.

She shakes her head and takes in a deep breath, “Fucking stupid of me. This is because of Silas. It’s still fucking awful of You to punish Seth and Jack because of Silas. You’re supposed to love us, and this is how You fucking show it? By hurting good and innocent people because of someone else’s fuckup? I used to believe in You, but I don’t know if I still do. If You’re real, You’re a cruel son of a bitch and You don’t deserve praise, or vows.” She cries quietly for a while, and takes Jack’s hand again.

In a quiet, pleading voice, she begs, “He has to wake up. He just has to. Please, he has to wake up, and he has to be okay, or, at least, as okay as he can be. Please, he has to see David again. He has to know who David is, say, ‘I love you’ to him…”

She gently strokes Jack’s distorted face, “Just let him wake up. I’ll take care of him, because I’m going to be a doctor. Please, just let him wake up.”

  * Reinhardt walks down a palace hallway, leaving for the night.



Thomasina enters through a door and calls for him, “Director Reinhardt!”

Reinhardt, “I’m not needed! I’m leaving for the night!”

Thomasina, “There’s protests gathering all over the city, and if they’re not handled properly, they’re going to turn into riots!”

Reinhardt grimaces, “I’m exhausted.”

Thomasina, “We’re all exhausted, but we have a country to serve and a city to protect.”

Reinhardt, “Can you give me a minute?”

  * Reinhardt staggers into the men’s room, struggling not to cry. He lands against the stall doors, and slowly breaks down sobbing. He sits down to the floor, full on ugly crying.



  * Thomasina sits with Vesper in his cell. A bottle of Hennessy and two shot glasses sit on the table between them.



Thomasina, “He didn’t deserve what he got.”

Vesper, “Dying in battle? I can’t imagine a more fitting end for Silas.”

Thomasina takes a shot and grimaces. She puts her drink down, “I hope Gerald shot him before he shot Jack. To send him to death thinking he’d lost both his sons…”

Vesper, “Gerald wanted to make him suffer. There would be no greater agony.”

Thomasina sniffs, “I gave my marriage to Silas. I’ve missed so much of my own children growing up. I could always justify it, saying I served a great man. But now what?”

Vesper, “Continue to serve. There is no other choice.”

  * Abner sits quietly in the empty council chamber, looking at the space where he will be crowned. A door opens and Reinhardt enters, having cleaned himself up.



Abner, “What do you want?”

Reinhardt, “Is it too soon to call you your majesty?”

Abner grimaces, “I don’t know. I received legal authority the moment Silas died, but I’m not technically king yet.”

Reinhardt sits beside Abner, “Is it too soon to start giving you advice?”

Abner, “I just lost my closest friend. I’ve fought by his side for thirty years. Now, suddenly, he’s gone, and it’s up to me to take his place.”

Reinhardt, “Are you giving up already?”

Abner, “No. Silas has a legacy. I have to be the one to defend it.”

Reinhardt, “Have you chosen a successor?”

Abner, “It’s too damn early.”

Reinhardt, “I guarantee you, Shepherd is already thinking of a plan to kill you. If you want King Silas to have a legacy, you need to have a plan to uphold it.”

Abner, “He’s not even in the ground yet!”

Reinhardt, “What about when Prince Jack wakes up?”

Abner, “He was shot in the fucking head, he’s not going to wake up.”

Reinhardt, “Are you sure? Because if I were in your position, I would take this moment to strengthen my allies and eliminate my rivals.”

Abner looks at Reinhardt, disgusted, “I never liked Jack. He was always spoiled, too sensitive, too weak, I knew he couldn’t be a king like his father. But he’s Silas’s boy, and, in spite of his flaws, I know that Silas loved him. As much as I know the wise thing for me to do right now would be to make sure he never wakes up… I can’t do that to Silas.”

Reinhardt sighs heavily, “Well, then. I hope you’re lucky, and that bullet scrambled his brain too much for him to know what’s going on. Because he won’t let you keep your crown.”

Abner, “He’s in the hospital. He can’t do anything from there.”

Reinhardt, “What about Shepherd?”

Abner, “Shepherd will be dealt with.”

  * In a safehouse living room, soldiers hang around, drinking beer and laughing.



Liam stands at the center of a large circle, bragging, “Yeah, Adam got the tank, but who was drawing the fire? He was able to get that tank because of me!”

In a corner, Ryan and his girlfriend, Beth, stands listening, unimpressed.

Ryan looks around, “Where is Adam, anyway?”

Beth, “I think he's in one of the rooms.”

In an empty bedroom, Adam sits on a bed, knees drawn up to his chest, holding a half-empty bottle of vodka. There's a soft knock at the door.

Adam, “Yeah?” The door opens, and Ryan and Beth peer through it.

Ryan, “I was just looking for you.”

Adam shrugs, “I kinda wanted to be somewhere quiet.” Ryan goes over and sits by Adam, and Beth follows him.

Adam holds out the bottle, “Want some?”

Ryan takes it, “Thanks.” He takes a swig and hands it to Beth. They sit there in silence for a long moment.

Adam, “It’s fucked up that Silas can be dead and David's still not king.”

Ryan shrugs, "We knew it could happen.”

Adam, “Yeah, I know… still sucks,” he reaches his hand out, “Pass the bottle.” Beth hands it over to him.

Suddenly, outside the room, there's the sound of lots of angry yelling. Ryan immediately gets to his feet and goes to see what the commotion is. Adam and Beth follow quickly behind him.

Back in the living room, Liam and another soldier engage in a fist fight.

Ryan goes up to Liam, grabs him, and pulls him away, “What the fuck!”

Liam still yells back at the other soldier, “Say that again, I’ll fuck you up, man!”

He drags Liam away from the crowd, “Save this shit for combat!”

Adam and Beth watch it all and exchange wary looks.

  * In a quiet place in the safehouse, Asher watches Shay as she prays the rosary. Shay mutters, “Amen”



She opens her eyes, and sees Asher, “Are you fucking watching me pray?”

Asher, “Sorry, I’ve always found Catholicism fascinating. I can’t help it. Rabbi.”

Shay, “I dunno how well it works. I do it as more of a comfort than anything else.”

Asher, “Hey, a prayer’s a prayer. It’s good for the soul.”

Shay, “The rosary belonged to my dad. He died in the war when I was a baby. I try to live up to him, be as good of a soldier as I can be.”

Asher, “You’d make him proud.”

Shay, “Thanks.”

There’s knock at the front door.

Asher gets up, looks through the peephole, and opens it, “Monique?”

Monique stands on the other side, “Are you watching the fuckin’ news?”

  * In the basement, Shay, Joel, Asher, Abby, Isaiah, and Monique watch the news. The screen is full of images of protesters. They hold up KING posters of David, wave AFG flags, and burn effigies of Abner.



Monique, “I decided I was safer getting out of Shiloh. There’s no way we’re making it through Abner’s coronation without rioting. No way.”

Asher, “I’ll go get David. Holy shit.”

He goes off into a bedroom, “David!”

David opens his eyes and grimaces, “I don’t want to be bothered.”

Asher, “You have got to see this, man.”

David sighs with annoyance and climbs out of bed. He follows Asher into the TV room, and then watches the TV.

Monique, “That is all for you, David. Every single person in that crowd is there because they want you to be king. No one wants Abner. You’d better have something good to say.”

Asher turns to Abby, “Remember that first night in Ashdod, we stayed up watching the news?”

Abby has to laugh, “Yeah, we were watching the world change, and then there was a knock at the door, and fucking Prince Jack walks in starts making out with David. And then there was Princess Michelle, looking just as beautiful as I always imagined.”

Asher, “Jesus, how long ago was that?”

Abby, “A million years.”

David, “I’ll say something in the morning, something quick.”

The news story switches over to a desk anchor, “In other news tonight, in Ammon, William Cross was found dead inside his burning mansion. Authorities believe it may be an arson and homicide.”

Joel looks around at everyone around him, “Bonus!”

The others chime in, “Bonus!”

David, “We need to make a plan on how we’re going to fight Abner.”

  * In a warehouse in Shiloh, a group of Amalekites stand milling around in front of a cache of weapons. Amal walks out onto a balcony above them, and speaks down to them, “All right, all right, shut up!”



The group stops talking and looks up at him.

Amal, “I thought today would go a little bit better for us, but Linus Abner just had to be an asshole about things, and Gilboa still has a king. But, hey, the good news is, William Cross is dead!”

The Amalekites clap and cheer.

Amal, “Now, we’ve had a lot of fun in the past couple of weeks, but we can’t lose sight of what our ultimate goal is: to end this sick society and re-build from its ashes. Cross had me doing his bidding in exchange for weapons,” he shudders, “I’m disgusted with myself. But now we have everything we need to destroy Abner, Shepherd, and any other motherfucker who thinks he should have authority over other human beings! Society is falling apart! Remember, you have all chosen to be here! You are the chosen ones! Only we show true mercy!”

The Amalekites cheer and raise their fists.

Amal, “The age of kings is at its end! We are society’s executioners and its saviors!”

  * Morning in Shiloh. Abner prepares for his coronation, putting on his finest uniform.



His daughter, Emma, helps his make the final adjustments, “There. Your tie is straight, you look good.”

Abner, “Do I look like a king?”

Emma, “You look like my dad.” She offers him a nervous half-smile.

He smiles affectionately back at her, “Are you ready to be a princess?”

Emma, “I guess I don’t have any choice but to be ready.”

Abner, “You’ll do just fine.” He holds his arm out to her, “We have a coronation to go to.”

Emma takes his arm, and they head out.

  * The council chamber is crowded with people waiting for the coronation. Rose and Michelle stand together, dressed in mourning black, steadfastly holding hands. The empty throne waits. Abner looks at it with happy determination, Emma beside him. Reinhardt watches on, schemes unfurling behind his eyes.



o Outside, protesters wave signs and scream angry chants. Riot police stand in an intimidating, impenetrable line.

o In an office in the warehouse, Amal sits at a desk, eating a bowl of popcorn and watching a small TV.

o In the safehouse, the AFG leadership tensely watch the television. David sits by himself, surrounded by broadcast equipment, casting nervous glances at the TV.

o In the palace, the ceremony begins. Abner approaches the throne, turns around, and sits.

An administrator, “Do you vow to faithfully and wholly serve the kingdom of Gilboa?”

Abner, obediently, “I do.”

Administrator, “Do you vow to fight to protect its citizens?”

Abner, “I do.”

Administrator, “Will you lay down your life to defend your nation and your kingdom?”

Abner, “I will.”

Administrator, “Do you freely and willingly take this oath?”

Abner, “I do.”

Administrator, “Then I nearby crown you, His Royal Majesty, King Linus Abner of Gilboa.”

The places the crown on Abner’s head.

Rose glares at him, tears falling down her face, while the others in the council chamber applaud.

o Outside, protesters scream in dissent and fight with police.

o Abner sits up straight, the crown on his head. He raises his head, and smiles smugly.

o In the safehouse, David sits with headphones on his head. In the crowd outside the palace, a protester climbs up to a place above the crowd, holding a speaker.

Isaiah messes with the broadcasting equipment, “Okay, go.”

David takes a deep breath, “Good morning, Gilboa.”

o In Shiloh, his voice echoes across the crowd. People hear it and go still. Even the police stop fighting.

o In the other safehouse, Adam, Ryan, and Beth listen, along with Liam and other AFG soldiers.

o In the hospital, Helen listens to her radio.

o In the warehouse office, Amal yells at his radio, “Say something good, Shepherd!”

o In Silas’s office, Abner listens, surrounded by his advisors, Reinhardt among them.

o Michelle and Rose sit in the residence, listening.

o David goes on, “I wish I were coming to you under better circumstances. King Silas is dead, and Linus Abner has ascended the throne in his place. The people Gilboa have made it clear: Linus Abner is not the rightful king.”

o Liam, “Fuck yeah!”

o Protesters in the crowd shout with assent.

o Abner simmers with rage.

o David, “King Silas’s death was a suicide. He killed himself after being captured in an ambush led by Premier Shaw, in which Prince Jack was also captured. I was there, I saw what happened. I watched Shaw shoot Jack in the head. Jack was unarmed. Jack…” his voice trembles, “Jack…” tears fall down his face, and he struggles to say the words, “I love Jack Benjamin. I’m left in a strange place: Nothing means more to me than the freedom of Gilboa, but no one means more to me than Jack. Right now, his life hangs in the balance. Gerald Shaw had no reason to shoot him, but he did it out of spite, trying to score petty revenge over a grievance that happened when Jack was an infant.”

o Rose covers her mouth with her hands.

o Amal rolls his eyes and makes jack-off hands.

o David goes on, “When I first took up the fight, I thought that Silas was a purely evil man. Since then, my understanding of good and evil has been turned inside-out. King Silas was a complicated wreck of a man. Leadership is a terrible burden. At times, it’s unbearable. The strength and ferocity that Silas used throughout his kingship is remarkable. He held his country together and led it through seemingly endless darkness. He was a true king.” He takes a deep breath, “Linus Abner is not a king. All his life, Abner has done nothing but follow, and now he has lost his leader. He cannot lead.” ([“Wretches and Kings,” Linkin Park](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er-TinIKvCw))

o The crowd roars.

o Liam and all the other AFG soldiers applaud, Ryan and Adam watching nervously

o Abner growls, “Mother _fucker_!”

o David carries on, “The people of Gilboa have shown where their support lies.”

o The crowd continues to shout.

o Ryan and Adam join in the applause of their fellow soldiers.

o Michelle and Rose exchange tense glances.

o David continues, “The Army of Free Gilboa with continue its fight,” he taps into his rage against Abner, “We refuse to bow to a false king. Linus Abner, we demand that you hand over your crown. The AFG has fought a wicked king, terrorists, and foreign armies, and we still stand, united and unbroken! We will not kneel, we will not surrender! We will fight and we will bleed until Gilboa has its true king!”

o The AFG soldiers cheer in defiance. Liam screams, “We will fight! We will fight!”

o The crowd roars even louder than before.

o Abner yells in fury, “FUCK!” and then look of fear comes over his face.

o Amal laughs.

o Protesters begin fighting the police, and are clubbed over the head.

o David closes his eyes and sits in anguish as Shay, Isaiah, and the others clap him on the shoulders.


	39. S5, E2: The Funeral

**“The Funeral”**

Morning in Jack’s hospital room. Michelle puts his AFG jacket over him. The swelling in his face has gone down, but he’s still hooked up to a ventilator. Rose sits in a chair. They both wear black.

Michelle, “David should be here.”

Rose, “Please don’t talk to me about him.”

Michelle, “If the best thing we can do for Jack right now is to keep him comfortable, David absolutely needs to be here. You never saw the way he takes care of Jack. If there’s anyone who can pull Jack through this, it’s David.”

Rose, “Take it up with Linus.”

Michelle sighs, and thinks, “I’ll put up some pictures. Jack should at least be able to see David’s face when he wakes up. I’ve got a playlist in mind, songs with good memories attached to them. Maybe I can find a bottle of David’s brand of aftershave, put a little on Jack’s pillow.” She reaches over and gently strokes Jack’s cheek, “If I can’t bring David here, I can at least bring a few reminders.”

Rose looks at her watch, “Michelle, we have to go.”

Michelle, “I don’t want to leave Jack. He shouldn’t be alone like this.”

Rose, “He’s unconscious. He won’t know if you aren’t here. The whole world will know if you don’t show up to your father’s funeral.”

Michelle, “I don’t want to perform the act of grieving in front of millions of people. It’s sickening.”

Rose, “We have to be seen.”

  * The Palace. Silas’s flag-draped casket is surrounded by bright sprays of flowers and an honor guard. His portrait hangs above it.



Abner speaks with the visiting monarchs, King Lawrence, King John, King Anthony, and Queen Laura. Laura eyes him with cold suspicion.

Reinhardt enters palace, Lydia at his side. He clutches her hand tightly, slightly dead and detached from those around him.

Christine stands patiently waiting for Rose.

Camera crews prepare for the broadcast.

  * In an AFG safehouse, David, Abby, and the others sit watching the TV. On the TV, Silas’s hearse pulls up to the national cathedral. Behind them, Michelle and Rose get out of their limousine.



Abby, pained, “Oh, god, Michelle.”

  * Michelle and Rose enter go into the cathedral. Michelle wears a small birdcage veil and carries a bouquet of roses. Rose wears a black fur cape and a long mourning veil, and walks with a strut that clearly announces, “I’m still queen, bitch.” She and Michelle watch Silas’s casket be put in place as all the other guests take their seat. With everyone in their place, Rose goes to her seat, fighting to keep her resolve, while Michelle stays in place. Rose sits down beside Abner. Michelle stares at the casket for a moment, and then approaches it. She the bouquet of roses on top of it.



Finally, she says, “Goodbye, Dad.” She sits down beside Rose.

The pastor begins the service, “I am the resurrection and I am the life. He that believeth in me, though he be dead, yet so shall he live.” ([“Sound the Bells” Dessa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIGioQ7tfXg))

o In Jack’s hospital room, Dr. Hussein shines a pen light in his eyes to monitor his pupil dilation.

o In the cathedral, Thomasina sits with other palace employees and weeps. Abner sits listening, genuine sadness in his eyes. Reinhardt sits next to Lydia, clutching her eyes, trying to wipe away and hide his tears.

o Helen watches the broadcast in her room, not crying.

o David sits next to Abby, his arm around her while she cries into his shoulder.

o Michelle and Rose sit stoically. The Merritts, Fairweathers, Buskos, and Walls all sit and listen respectfully.

o A nurse changes Jack’s wound dressings, revealing that his hair has been shaved off. There’s a massive incision where surgeons operated on him, an indentation where the skull is missing, and ugly entry and exit wounds.

o Pallbearers carry Silas’s casket out of the cathedral. A procession of limousines follows the hearse through the streets of Shiloh. Mourners and onlookers line the route, waving Benjamin flags.

o Michelle watches from her seat, while Rose stares forward without seeing anything. Michelle sees a lone AFG flag, and hope briefly shines in her eyes.

o The procession drives through a cemetery. An open vault sits next to a closed one marked “Prince SETH BENJAMIN of Gilboa,” a memorial fit for a king.

Michelle and Rose stand as a 21-gun salute is fired off.

The casket is lowered into the vault, and the lid shut.

Michelle breaks down and cries. Rose weeps with her.

o In her room, Helen looks away from the television screen, towards a photo of Seth and Silas in happier times.

o David gets up from his seat and heads out the back door. He looks out at the surrounding snow-covered trees and bright blue sky.

o In the hospital, the nurse finishes wrapping Jack’s head in new bandages.

o David stands alone.

o At the cemetery, the inscription on the lid of the vault reads “King SILAS BENJAMIN of Gilboa,” a butterfly etched below it.

A soldier hands Rose the folded flag from Silas’s casket.

Abner tries to wipe away tears without being noticed.

o The nurse straightens Jack’s AFG jacket, leaving the embroidered BENJAMIN visible.

o David looks up into the sky, searching for hope.

o Mourners file out of the cemetery. Rose and Michelle linger, gazing at the memorial. Finally, Rose takes Michelle’s hand. Michelle looks at her, and Rose tries to give her best reassuring smile.

o Abby cries, and looks towards the back door, where David is visible.

o Jack lies in his room, alone.

o Rose and Michelle turn and leave the cemetery.

o David gazes up at the sky, and then turns and goes back inside. (end music)

  * Andrew sits on a sofa, staring angrily at an urn marked WILLIAM ALISTER CROSS. He turns away for a moment, and then looks back at the urn. He stands up and grabs it.



He takes the urn into a bathroom. He opens the lid of the toilet, and then takes the lid off of the urn. He pours its contents into the toilet, and then flushes. He watches with satisfaction as the ashes swirl, but then, suddenly, his happiness turns to horror as the water stops going down. He tries to flush again, but the water keeps rising. Andrew flushes again and again as the water and ashes spill out of the toilet.

  * Abner’s portrait hangs in the palace.



At a private reception, Abner once again talks with his fellow monarchs, “The only person who’s known Silas longer than me is Rose. We were fresh recruits in the same unit, one headed by Ephraim Samuels. Silas earned my loyalty when we were pinned down under heavy fire from twelve Phils. Silas ran forward and single-handedly killed them all. He was eighteen. Can you believe it? I never left his side after that. We fought against Gath together. I was the best man at his wedding. I stood with him at his coronation. I led his troops when we conquered Carmel, and when we fought against Gath again. I was with him when he was told that Prince Jack had been captured, and with him when he was told that some punk from Bethlehem had rescued him. Silas wasn’t afraid of David Shepherd, and neither am I. I will finish the job of destroying the AFG.”

Laura, “Maybe Silas should have been afraid of David. Look what became of his life after he walked in.”

Anthony, “How is Jack, Linus? I haven’t heard anything about his condition. He was always a good friend to me.”

Abner, “Still in a coma. It’s unclear if he’ll wake up.”

John, “I never would have thought Gerald had the nerve to do such a thing.”

Lawrence, “Gerald’s much tougher than he gets credit for. He held Gath together after a total surrender. That’s no simple task, even for one who expected to be made premier.”

Laura, “Shooting Jack wasn’t nerve. It was petty cruelty, something Gerald has always been quite familiar with.”

Suddenly, Reinhardt cuts in, “Hello, your majesties, if I may speak with you all for a moment.”

Abner shoots him a dirty look, “I don’t know if any of you have met Caesar Reinhardt before- he’s my Director of State Security.”

Anthony, “I know Caesar.”

Lawrence, curtly, “We’ve met previously.”

Reinhardt, “I know it may not be in the best of form to discuss matters of state right now, but the fact remains that Gilboa is at war, and we need the support of our allies now more than ever.”

Anthony, “Gilboa has Aram’s support.”

Reinhardt, “I’m glad to hear that, but I’d like to discuss a few things with you later so that Gilboa can be assured of something more than just words.”

Abner, “I’m afraid you’re going beyond your reach, Director. This is a matter for the army, not the MSS.”

Reinhardt, “I’m not talking about Gath and Ammon, I’m talking about David Shepherd and Alek Amal. If my intelligence analyses are correct, with the murder of William Cross, the Amalekites have attacked in Aram, Gath, and now Ammon. They could easily spread elsewhere,” he looks at Laura, “Queen Laura, is it true that Alek Amal was seen in Mizpah?”

Laura, “We’ve confirmed that he visited with William Cross and then left.”

Reinhardt, “It must keep you awake at night, considering what he could have done had he decided to stage an attack.”

Laura, “And if your intelligence agency had known he was coming to Moab, we could have arrested him.”

Lawrence, “I appreciate your struggle, Director, but you can’t expect our countries to fight Gilboa’s wars.”

Anthony, “The Amalekites killed my father, and could have killed any one of us that day. They need to be stopped.”

Laura, “Nothing Aram gives to Gilboa will be used against the Amalekites, it’ll all be used against David.”

Reinhardt, “Shepherd is also a dangerous terrorist.”

Abner, “This isn’t the proper time or place to be having this discussion,” he looks at Reinhardt, “Director Reinhardt, I would like to speak to you personally.”

  * In a small private room, Abner lectures Reinhardt, “I know exactly what you’re doing, and I won’t tolerate it!”



Reinhardt, “And what exactly am I doing, your majesty?”

Abner, “You are trying to bypass me and gain support so you can declare yourself king.”

Reinhardt, “That would be treason. I would never commit treason against my king.”

Abner, seriously, “I was chosen by Silas, and you were not. You stay in your place, or I will have you disposed of.”

Reinhardt, “You can dispose of me right now, if you want to, sir, but I still have a very important job, and I am the only person in this country capable of doing it as well as I do. If you dispose of me, who will be king when you die? You don’t have a son.”

Abner, “It’s still my decision.”

Reinhardt, “And it would be foolish of you to hand Gilboa over to an inept king out of personal prejudice and spite.”

Abner, “Go home, Director Reinhardt.”

Reinhardt, “King Silas was my mentor. I want to show him my fullest respects.”

Abner, “Go home.”

  * Elsewhere at the reception, Rose talks to queens Gloria, Evie, and Caroline.



Gloria, “Time does make things easier, but I still have nights where I lay in bed and wish nothing more than to have George there beside me.”

Evie, “And to hear about William being murdered on top of all this-”

Rose, “William spent his whole life being bitter over that fact that a poor nobody like Silas beat him to the crown. I haven’t shed any tears for him.”

  * In another place, Princesses Ashley of Edom, Tabitha and Iris of Samaria, and Claire and Denise of Aram talk to Abner’s daughter, Emma, while Michelle chugs a glass of wine.



Ashley, “Being a princess is a tough job, but you’ll come to love it.”

Emma, “My dad never had time for me before. Suddenly, he wants me to make all these appearances with him. Do you ever feel like your parents are using you?”

Michelle, “All the goddamn time.”

Ashley casts a bitchy side-eye, “Michelle, of course, has had a unique experience. Not all of us try to overthrow our fathers.”

Iris tries to change the subject, “The service was beautiful. A very fitting tribute to a king.”

Michelle, “My father was a lying, abusive sack of shit who went out of his way to make Jack’s life hell. He doesn’t deserve tribute.”

The other princesses exchange awkward glances.

Claire, “I hear you’ve gone back to school.”

Michelle, “Yeah, med school.”

Claire, “How do you like it?”

Michelle, “Med school is the fucking shit. I love it.” She takes another gulp of wine.

Claire, “Do you think you’ll find a boyfriend there?”

Michelle nearly chokes.

  * In a corner, princes Quentin, Steven, Mark, and Eric stand around.



Quentin, “We should do something in honor of Jack. We should go to a gay strip club.”

Steven, “I don’t think they have those in Gilboa.”

Quentin, “Damn it.”

  * Laura approaches the group of princesses, “Hello, girls, might I borrow Michelle for a moment?”



Michelle, “Yeah, sure.”

Laura leads her to a place where they can talk.

Michelle, “I will warn you, I have had some wine. Fuck, I am going to be so hungover, and I have class tomorrow.”

Laura, “You can take some time off, you know. You did just lose your father.”

Michelle, “I need the distraction. Plus, it’s med school. You get even a little bit behind, you’re fucked.”

Laura, “Have you been in touch with David, or anyone with the AFG?”

Michelle, “No. Linus is monitoring all my communications, and he’s given me these big, beefy security guards that I know are there to keep me from running away, and then snitch everything I do to him.”

Laura, “I’ve been worried about David. I’ve been trying to get in touch for the past few days, but I haven’t gotten any response.”

Michelle, “Shit, I can’t even imagine how much of a fucking wreck he has to be. Even when Jack was fine, he was always fretting over him, making sure he’d had enough food, or he wasn’t cold, shit like that.”

Laura, “How is Jack?”

Michelle, “Bad. I spent a long time yesterday talking to a neurology professor about traumatic brain injuries… they really fuck you up.” She starts crying, “Shit! I’m sorry. Every time I think I’ve cried all that I possibly can, it sneaks up on me.”

Laura, “Grief is like that. It likes to attack you when you have your guard down, and never misses a chance.”

Michelle, “Jack’s not going to have a miracle recovery where he just wakes up and everything is fine. I swear, I feel like I could be a one-woman invasion force. Just march into Ashdod, go straight to the palace, chop Gerald’s head off just like Dad did with Achison. I suddenly see the appeal of mounting a skull in your office.”

Laura, “I want to call Royal Council. Clearly, popular support lies with David, and I have some real concerns about Linus’s claim as Silas’s successor.”

Michelle, “Linus will never agree to it. If David’s gonna become king, it’s gonna be the bloody old-fashioned way. Plus, Royal Council would mean both me and David being in the same room as Gerald. If I want to cut his head off, I can’t imagine what David wants to do to him.”

Laura, “Linus isn’t a leader.”

Michelle, “No shit.”

Laura, “If Gilboa is as near to collapse as everyone says it is, it’s going to be up to you and Rose to hold it together. A collapse would be absolutely devastating for everyone who’s not Gath and Ammon.”

Michelle, “I’m barely holding myself together right now.”

Laura puts her hands on Michelle’s shoulders, “I saw what a badass you are when you saved my life. I gave you the Golden Palm for a reason. I know you can do it.”

  * Christine follows Rose into the residence. Rose sloughs off her hat and cape, leaving them in a pile on a chair.



Rose, “Would you care for some tea?”

Christine, “You should be drinking something stronger.”

Rose, “If I were drinking as much as I should be drinking, I’d be on the floor.” She disappears into the kitchen.

Christine looks around. Her eyes land on a small picture in a frame: teenage Rose and Silas, the photo Silas carried in his pocket throughout his army service.

Rose re-enters the living room and sits down.

Christine sits down next to her, “Is it all right if I smoke in here?”

Rose, “Don’t. The smell will get in the upholstery and Michelle will be furious,” she gives Christine a look, “She’s studying diseases the respiratory system right now.”

Christine rolls her eyes. They sit in silence for a long moment.

Christine, “I suppose you won’t be terribly upset to hear that William left you out of his will. It all goes to Andrew.”

Rose, “Honestly, I don’t care.”

Christine, “It’s all a mess, now, anyway. You’d only be inheriting debt.”

Rose, “How is Andrew?”

Christine, “He hasn’t spoken to me. Chloe says he’s barely spoken to her,” she thinks for a moment, “I always thought William would end up being brutally murdered in some way, I’m just surprised that when he was, nobody cared,” she casts Rose a look, “Even in death, Silas manages to one-up him.”

Rose wipes a tear from her eye, “William deserves what he got. Silas… Silas… I bought a cabin, we were going to go there-”

Christine, “Silas could never live without violence. He could try to get away from it, but it would always find him. Abdication would be defeat, and Silas could only die un-defeated.”

Rose cries.

Christine, “Are you keeping your title?”

Rose, “I’m the dowager queen. It’s all just a formality, of course, I have no real power, anymore.”

Christine, “Yes you do. As long as people trust you, you have power.”

  * David sits talking to Dr. Othman.



Othman, “How are you doing, David?”

David leans forward and puts his chin in his hands, “Better than I thought I would. It kind of makes me wonder if I’m just getting used to awful shit happening. Shay keeps telling me I need to think of what we’re gonna do next, and I know that’s what I need to be doing, but, every time I try to think, my mind just goes blank, like it’s refusing to even consider fighting again.”

Othman, “You’re putting too much pressure on yourself.”

David, “Kind of comes with leading an army.”

Othman, “Have you been sleeping?”

David, “No. I don’t even want to sleep, because when I do, I have nightmares about Jack. I dream about running through the woods, and hearing him screaming like he’s being tortured, and begging for me, but I can’t find him. I see him getting shot over and over and over again. There hasn’t been any kind of update on his condition, and I know it’s on Abner’s orders, just to torture me and make me go crazy. It’s fucking working.”

Othman, “No updates means he’s still alive.”

David, “I know, and that’s what I keep telling myself. The worst part is- I just fucking miss him. Even when things were horrible, he’d make me laugh, make me feel better. I miss waking up with his hair in my face. I miss hearing him call me babe. The first time we made love, he looked up at me, and I saw happiness in his eyes, genuine happiness, and I thought… I want to see that again. That was when I knew I’d fallen in love, that I’d been in love, and just not realized it. I think about that night, and then… I see him get shot.”

  * Abner talks to Rose and Michelle in the living area of the residency, “Ladies, there’s no real easy way to address this, but, as king, I have to be living in the palace.”



Michelle, “In case you didn’t notice, the whole country kind of hates you right now. Kicking us out of the palace will only make it worse.”

Abner, “I’m not kicking you out. I wouldn’t do that to Silas. However, I do need a living space. As I can’t just build a new residence, I believe Jack and Michelle’s apartments will have to be where I set up.”

Michelle, “I just fucking moved into that apartment, I’m not moving again.”

Rose, “Jack is going to come home from the hospital, eventually-”

Abner interrupts, “We don’t know that, yet.”

Rose continues, “He needs a place to go.”

Abner, “I believe that he and Michelle both have their old bedrooms.”

Rose, “We gave Jack’s old room to Seth.”

Abner, “And Jack can have it again.”

Michelle, “So are you going to just throw out Seth’s things?”

Abner, “He’s not exactly using them.”

Rose, “I’m sure there’s a charity that can take them. Don’t worry, Michelle.”

Michelle, “I need my own fucking space to study!”

Abner, “You still live in a palace. There’s plenty of space.”

Michelle, “What’s Jack supposed to come home to? Dad’s dead, all his shit is gone, and all evidence of Seth is gone? He’s gonna be traumatized all over again!”

Abner, “I said this wouldn’t be easy.”

Michelle, “Surviving getting shot in the fucking head isn’t easy! Coming home is supposed to be easy!”

Abner, “I’m afraid there’s no way around it. I’m taking those apartments.” Michelle gets up and storms away.

Abner, “Where are you going?”

Michelle, “I’m going to be with Jack! You cannot fucking stop me from visiting my brother!”

Abner, “You should have your things ready to move by tomorrow evening.”

  * Joel, Shay, Abby, Isaiah, Asher, and Monique sit around, talking.



Shay, “If David’s gonna be fucked up for a while, we need to be the ones to make a plan about what we’re gonna do next.”

Abby, “I got a message for Laura, she wants to call Royal Council, but I know Abner will never let it go forward.”

Shay, “Doesn’t he have to be confirmed?”

Abby, “Only new monarchies have to be confirmed. David would have to be confirmed, but, as Silas’s chosen successor, Abner doesn’t. Either way, confirmation is about whether or not the other monarchs will recognize you. It has mostly to do with international relations and diplomacy rather than whether or not you actually get to be king.”

Joel, “All we fuckin’ have to do is kill Abner.”

Shay, “What about Reinhardt?”

Abby, “Abner hasn’t named an official successor yet, Reinhardt doesn’t have a legal claim to the crown.”

Joel, “So that means we need to kill Abner sooner rather than later.”

Asher, “Then how are we gonna kill him?”

Joel, “It only takes one person and one bullet. I say we send someone in to just start shooting.”

Asher, “That would be a suicide mission. David has made our stance on those very, very clear. We only send people on missions they have a chance of getting out of.”

Joel, “It’s one death versus the hundreds, if not thousands of lives we can save by ending the fight.”

Asher, “That would make us no different than Alek Amal.”

Joel, “It would make us plenty fuckin’ different from Alek Amal.”

Asher, “Would you do it?”

Joel, “Do what?”

Asher, “Take on a suicide mission.”

Joel, “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t willing to die. Besides, I’m Russian. I was born to storm a palace.”

Shay, “You can’t do it, Joel, you’re too important.”

Asher, “In the eyes of God, his life is no more important than that of any other soldier we would send out.”

Isaiah, “We may not have to do any of that.” Everyone looks at him. He goes on, “I’ve been looking at drones. They’re capable of delivering a bomb from a remote location. Theoretically, we could use one to take out Abner.”

Shay, “Are you fuckin’ serious?”

Isaiah, “It’s not perfect. Unlike rockets, you can control them precisely, but, they’re slow. They’re big, and they make noise. It’s easy to see it coming. Also, I don’t know how to use a drone. I’d also have to do some engineering to make a release system that works the way I want it to. But I’m good at engineering.”

Monique, “We’ve got plenty of places in Shiloh you can work from.”

David, “Okay. Let’s try it.”

Asher, “It’s better than a suicide mission.”

David, “We should try both. We’re desperate. We need to try everything we can.”

  * At Andrew and Chloe’s apartment, there’s a knock at the door. Chloe answers. It’s Christine. Without saying anything, Chloe steps forward and hugs her.



Christine, softly, “How are you, dear?”

Chloe steps back, “I’m okay. Everything’s pretty crazy right now.”

Christine enters the apartment, and looks around, “Where is Andrew?” Her eyes settle on an urn on the shelf. Her shoulders droop, and she sighs.

Chloe, “Andrew’s been in his office. Sleeping there. I dunno what to do with him.”

Christine, “Just be kind to him, that should be enough.”

o She goes down the hallway, and reaches the door of Andrew’s office. She knocks. There’s no answer. Undeterred, she opens the door. Andrew sits in a chair.

He looks up at her, dispassionate, “Mother.”

Christine, “Are you all right, Andrew?”

Andrew, “I’m fine.”

Christine, “You’re allowed to not be all right. Most people aren’t all right after their father dies.”

Andrew shoots her a furious glare.

Christine, “Your father was a son of bitch who wasted his life obsessing over what was never his to begin with. I don’t want you to end up like him.”

Andrew, “I don’t want to be king.”

Christine sighs with relief, “You have no idea how happy that makes me,” She thinks for a moment, “You have a real opportunity here. You can throw it all off and become yourself, not just another link in the Cross family line. You don’t have to carry a family’s burden.”

Andrew, “CrossGen is mine. It was stolen from me. Don’t try to pretend it wasn’t. I’m going to get it back. When Jack dies, I can make a bid.”

Christine, “You know perfectly well that ownership will go to Michelle, and then Rose. Are you going to murder the rest of your family?”

Andrew doesn’t say anything.

  * In their bedroom, Reinhardt lays morosely on his bed while Lydia gets ready for bed.



Lydia, “You did very well today. You were there talking about plans and policy while Abner just kept rambling on about his best friend.”

Reinhardt, distracted, “Yeah.”

Lydia stands beside him, looking stunning in a slinky nightgown, “Caesar?”

He looks at her.

Lydia sits down by him, concerned, and puts a hand on his arm, “Are you all right?”

Reinhardt, “Yeah, I just…” he sighs, “I almost wish my actual dad were dead instead of Silas. It would be easier.”

Lydia lays down next to him and snuggles close, “You’re going to carry on his legacy. You were much more of a son to him than Jack ever was. You actually loved him.”

Reinhardt stares at the ceiling.

  * Michelle sits doing homework in Jack’s hospital room. “Mr. Brightside” plays softly, and the walls are decorated with pictures of good times in the AFG.



The door opens, and Dr. Hussein enters and sees Michelle, “You’ve chosen a good place to do med school homework.”

Michelle, “I couldn’t be in the same building as Linus.”

Dr. Hussein, “When you’re a resident, you’ll be wishing for something as easy as a massive stack of homework.”

Michelle, “Can’t be harder than stopping a hemorrhage with bullets flying around my head.”

Dr. Hussein grins, “Just wait until you’re pulling 24-hour shifts.”

Michelle, “Bring it.”

Dr. Hussein, “I’m just checking in on Jack before I end my shift.”

Michelle, “Do you want me to turn the music off?”

Dr. Hussein, “No, it’s fine.”

Michelle, “I made a playlist for Jack. All the songs have stories behind them. This one in particular.”

Dr. Hussein checks Jack’s pupils, “His pupil dilation is riiight where it needs to be. Do you want to see?”

Michelle, “Sure.” She stands up and looks.

Dr. Hussein shines her pen light in Jack’s eyes, “There’s no sluggishness at all. He’s recovering.”

Michelle watches and starts to cry, “Shit! I am so fucking sick of crying! I never thought I’d cry watching my stupid fucking brother’s pupils dilate!”

Dr. Hussein, “You can cry all you want, just remember to keep yourself hydrated.”

Michelle sniffs, “I’ll do that.”

Dr. Hussein, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Michelle, “See you.”

Dr. Hussein leaves. Michelle sits back down, and resumes her homework. She writes down an answer, and then pauses and looks at Jack. An eyelid twitches subtly. Michelle stares hard for a moment, but then goes back to her homework. She writes an answer, and then looks back up. Jack’s eyelids twitch again.

Michelle, softly, “Jack?”

More twitching.

Michelle puts her homework down, “Jack, can you hear me?” She turns the music off, and stands by Jack’s bed, “Can you open your eyes, Jack?”

More twitching.

Michelle, “Open your eyes, Jack. Come on, you can do it. I’m right here. Open your eyes.”

Slowly, Jack’s eyes flutter open.

Michelle gasps with elation, “Jack!”

His eyes roll over and see her.

Michelle laughs, “Hi!” She takes his hand, “Can you squeeze my hand?”

Slowly, his fingers tighten around hers.

Michelle laughs and sobs, “Oh my god, Jack!”

He looks around the room.

Michelle, “You’re in the hospital. You were shot, but you’re okay. You’re okay.” She leans down and kisses his cheek, “You’re okay.”


	40. S5, E3: God Save The Queens

**“God Save the Queens”**

Abner gives instructions on clearing out Silas’s office: “Give the personal items to Rose, she’ll figure out what to do with them.”

A mover: “What should we do about the skull?”

Abner: “Keep it. I was there when Silas came back to camp with it. It belongs with me.”

Thomasina goes up to him, “Sir, I have a few of King Silas’s… _unresolved issues_ that I think you should take a look at.”

Abner, “Can it wait? I have a meeting.”

Thomasina, “It’s been waiting. It really can’t wait any longer.”

Abner, annoyed, “Fine. As long as we can do this quickly.”

  * Thomasina opens the door into Vesper’s cell. Abner goes in, and Vesper looks up at him, “Linus Abner, right? I seem to remember you.”



Abner gawks, completely dumbfounded, “Silas killed you.”

Vesper, “He said he did. Silas also said he killed David Shepherd.”

Abner, still in disbelief, “You are dead!”

Vesper, “Did you ever see my body?”

Abner sputters, “Silas would have told me if you were alive! He never kept any secrets from me!”

Vesper, “Silas kept secrets from everyone. At least as far as I know. There could be secrets that I’m not aware of. Silas certainly had plenty of them. God rest his soul,” he casts an appraising look, “Which one of Silas’s problems are you trying to solve today?”

Abner, “D-David Shepherd.”

Vesper, “Oh, he’s a hard one. Always just out of reach- it’s almost as if he knows some kind of secret you don’t, isn’t it?”

Abner, “He’s not invulnerable. He’s still just a human being.”

Vesper, “With the face and body of a seraph.”

Abner, “He can be killed!”

Vesper, “And so can you. Do you want to know what I think of Shepherd?”

Abner, “What?”

Vesper, “He should be king. He knows what mercy is, and he knows when to show none. If you fight him, he will kill you.”

Abner, “You’ve been in a cell for fifteen years! What do you know?!”

Vesper, “That God favors the righteous, and there is no shame in admitting defeat. If I’m not mistaken, you have a daughter, don’t you?”

Abner, “Yes.”

Vesper, “Think of her. What would happen if she lost her father? Would she grieve?”

Abner, “She’s my daughter!”

Vesper, “Yes, but would she grieve?”

  * Leadership meeting in the safehouse.



Joel explains, “We have an idea, David. It’s… it’s something we haven’t considered before, but it’s worth considering.”

David: “What is it?”

Shay, “Silas was complicated, but with Abner, all we have to do is kill him.”

Joel, “We think if we send a team of Queens into the palace, they can take him out.”

Asher, “It’s a suicide mission. Whoever shoots Abner is absolutely going to die, and there’s no way around it.”

Joel, “It’s not a suicide mission, it’s just a very, very high-risk mission.”

Asher, “It’s a fucking suicide mission.”

Shay, “My girls can get out. I believe in the Queens of Gilboa.”

David sinks into his seat, “Do we have any other ideas?”

Isaiah, “I had an idea about using a drone to deliver a bomb, but that’s gonna take a lot of time to figure out. I don’t know what kind of damage Abner’s capable of causing before I can figure it out.”

David rubs his face, “How would we even get into the palace? Everyone has to go through a metal detector.”

Monique, “Not certain employees, like the princess’s stylist. I can get the Queens into the palace. Dress them up like they belong there, no one will see them coming.”

Asher, “We said we wouldn’t do suicide missions!”

David, “I said we wouldn’t do suicide bombings.”

Joel, “It’s not a suicide mission!”

Asher, “You aren’t actually considering this, are you?”

David shakes his head, “If it will end things…” he trails off.

Asher, “David, this is wrong!”

David, “It may be wrong, but I haven’t known what’s right since one of my best friends turned us in and got your parents killed.”

Asher, “Do not use my parents to justify this.”

David, “I’m sorry, I’m just… I’m fucking tired of fighting. How else are we going to end this?”

Shay, “I’ll send our best.”

Asher, “We will lose our best!”

David, “We’ll have a plan for getting out. I won’t send anyone into a situation where they can’t feasibly get out.”

Asher, “And what if we don’t succeed?”

David, “Then we don’t succeed. I say let’s do this, just be careful about it. We need to have a fool-proof plan. I trust Shay, Joel, and Monique to make one.”

  * Michelle leads Helen through the hallways of the hospital, “I’m so glad they’re letting you do this. Jack’s still sleeping most of the time, and he can’t talk, but he recognizes the people around him, and he can follow simple commands. He’s just woken up, and already, he’s jumping over some pretty huge hurdles.”



Helen, “He’s a Benjamin. I’d expect nothing less. The doctors were always amazed by how quickly Seth bounced back after his surgeries. You were pretty remarkable, too.”

Michelle, “Jack spent enough time waiting around for me in the hospital, I guess now it’s my turn. Right now, what he needs more than anything else is people just talking to him. Abner won’t let anyone but Mom and me see him, and I have to be in class half the time.”

Helen, “I’ll try to visit as much as I can. It shouldn’t be too hard. Maybe I can even have someone warn me if Rose shows up.”

Michelle, “That’s definitely a risk you’re taking.”

Helen, “I don’t mind risking it for Jack.”

Michelle, “Mom said she has things to do all morning, which is why I tried to bring you in today. Jack’s gonna be so happy to see you, but there’s just one thing.”

Helen, “What?” They stop in front of Jack’s door.

Michelle, “He’s incredibly weak, physically, but, if you can, try not to use the word ‘weak’ in front of him. Dad used to call him that all the time.”

Helen, “You’re calling Silas ‘Dad’ again.”

Michelle, “It’s complicated.”

Helen, “I understand. And don’t worry. I’ll tell Jack stories about Seth. He’ll appreciate that.”

Michelle, “Thanks. He also might fall asleep on you, but that’s the injury, not him. Don’t take it personal.”

Helen, “Don’t worry. I had plenty of patients fall asleep on me. I know how brain injuries work.”

Michelle hugs Helen, and then opens the door. Rose stands in the room, adjusting Jack’s bed.

Michelle, “Mom!” She rushes over, “Dr. Hussein said not to do that! He can’t hold his head up!” She pushes the headrest back down while Jack blinks at her.

Michelle, quietly to him, “Sorry.”

Rose glares at Helen.

Michelle, “I thought you said you were busy this morning.”

Rose, “None of it was more important than Jack. I found people to take care of everything.”

Michelle speaks to Jack, “I brought Helen to see you. She’s been really worried about you.”

Helen comes over and smiles at him, “Hi, Jack.”

He smiles faintly at her.

She looks at the pictures on the walls, “I like what you’ve done with the place. I can bring you some pictures of Seth, if you’d like.”

Michelle, “That’d be wonderful.”

Rose, “I suppose you don’t need me here, then.”

Helen, “You can stay, if you want to.”

Rose sniffs, “I think it would be best if I left.”

Michelle, “Mom!”

Rose puts a hand on Jack’s shoulder, “I’ll be back this afternoon.” She casts a dirty look at Helen, and exits.

Michelle, embarrassed, “I am so fucking sorry.”

Helen, “Not the worst she’s been to me, actually. And I’m here for Jack. I don’t care about her.”

  * David stands and faces a group of twelve Queens of Gilboa.



David, “You all know the chances of you making it out of this… aren’t very good, right?”

One of the girls, Lilly, answers, “We know, sir. We’re honored to have the chance.”

David, “Which one of you is gonna be the one to shoot Abner?”

Lilly, “I am, along with Bridget and Neela.”

Shay, “We’re gonna have four groups of three posted in positions throughout the palace, if the first group misses, the others will go for it.”

Monique, “I’ll have them dressed up like palace employees, but with shit they can run and hide weapons in. I’ll hide headsets in their hair. They’ll go in the back entrance, and I’ll lead them up to the right floors.”

Shay, “I’ll monitor everything, and give instructions.”

David, “Good, because we are every imaginable kind of fucked if this doesn’t work.”

Joel, “We’ve said that a million times before.”

David, “It’s been true every time.”

He looks at the Queens, “If any of you has even the slightest bit of hesitation or doubt, it’s okay to step out now. Because once we get going, there’s no going back.”

None of the Queens steps forward.

Lilly, “We all volunteered for this.”

David looks at them, conflicted, “What are you gonna do if you get caught? We saw what the MSS did to Frankie Hatch when they thought he could give over AFG secrets.”

Lilly, “We won’t get caught.”

David, “We can rescue you if you get caught. We can take more time and put together a solid extraction plan.”

Lilly, emphatically, “We won’t get caught.”

  * ([“Seamstress” Dessa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELsryzJ5Hpg)) In a safehouse in Shiloh, Monique helps the Queens get ready. She settles hair to cover communication devices, and fits guns and knives into hidden pockets. The Queens test out their getups, practicing quick draws and combat moves. They get into two vans, and drive out to the palace.



o In the back of one, Shay talks into a headset, “You all know exactly where you’re going?”

o They arrive at the palace.

Monique, back in male drag, says to a security guard, “Dresses for Princess Emma.”

They’re all let in. Everyone goes into their positions.

o Lilly, Bridget, and Neela all wait in the dressing room. Emma enters, and Lilly pulls a gun on her.

Lilly, “Don’t say anything. We don’t want to hurt you. Just put your hands up and do what we say.” Emma puts her hands up, terrified.

Neela speaks into her headpiece, “Everyone in position?”

o Head of team 2, Layla, “Go.”

o Head of team 3, Marissa, “Go.”

o Head of team 4, Amy, “Go.”

o Shay, “Go.”

o Lilly, “Go to the door, but don’t open it all the way, and tell your aide to send for your dad.”

Emma, “What are you gonna do?”

Lilly, “We don’t want to hurt you, but if security comes, there’s gonna be a lot of gunfire, and you might get hurt. So do what we say, and you’ll be fine.”

Emma nods. She takes a moment to compose herself, and then Lilly walks her over to the door.

Emma opens it, “Can you please send for my dad?”

Lilly whispers, “It’s urgent.”

Emma, “It’s urgent.”

Aide, “Sure thing, your highness.”

Lilly, Neela, and Bridget keep their guns fixed on Emma, but position themselves in a place where they won’t immediately be seen. Emma trembles.

o The aide goes into the council chamber, and approaches Abner, “Sir, Princess Emma is asking for you.”

Abner looks annoyed, “I’m busy.”

Aide, “She says it’s urgent. She’s in the dressing room.”

Abner, “What could be urgent there?”

Aide, “I don’t know, sir.”

Abner sighs and gets up. He leaves the council chamber, and Marissa sees him.

When he’s out of earshot, she quietly says, “Target is moving.”

o Back in the dressing room, Emma looks at Lilly, “What the fuck are you gonna do?”

Lilly doesn’t answer.

o In the hallway outside the dressing room, Layla sees Abner coming, “Target approaching, get ready.”

o Lilly, Bridget, and Neela all tense up and eye the door. Abner enters. Lilly, Bridget, and Neela all fire on Abner.

Emma screams, “Dad!”

He ducks behind a rack of clothes, grabs his own gun, and fires back, hitting Neela. Lilly and Bridget try to fire back, but security comes running in, and take them both out.

Emma runs to Abner, “Dad!”

A security guy leans over him, “Sir, are you hurt?”

Abner grabs his shoulder, “Grazed my shoulder, I’m fine.”

Security guy, “We need to get you to a secure location.”

o Shay, “Shit, team 2, get ready!”

o Team 2, Layla, Amy and Serena, and Team 3, Marissa, Cecile, and Nadia, get into position hiding in doors in the hallway outside the dressing room. Soldiers and security guys escort Emma and Abner out of the dressing room. Team 2 leaps out of their location and begin to fire. Emma screams and Abner shields her while security guys fall around them.

o Shay listens in, “Team 3, try to head them off, go!”

o In the residence, security guys rush toward Rose, “We have to get you to a secure location!”

Rose, annoyed, “Oh, for fuck’s sake, they’re here for Linus, not me!”

o Layla gets close to Abner, and fires a shot at him, but misses. He grabs her wrist and tries to disarm her, but she fights back. Security guys go for the other two, and engage in fierce hand-to-hand fighting.

Abner fights with the skill and precision of an old soldier. He knocks Layla’s gun away, but she manages to get loose of his grip. She lunges for a security guy, but he grabs her, and manages to shoot her dead. One of the guards in the firefight turns and shoots Amy, fighting nearby him, but in return, he gets shot dead.

One of the shooting Queens, Rachel, gets shot in the arm, and drops her gun. A security guy pins down Serena while another shoots her in the head.

o Shay, “Fuck, fuck, team 4, get in there!”

o Rachel ducks back into the doorway while Hannah continues to fire. Team 4, Alma, Hannah, and Thea run up to join the fight.

A security guy pins down Serena while another shoots her in the head.

The remaining security guys engage in the firefight, Hannah and Alma take out Abner’s security, before getting shot dead. Nadia and Cecile both manage to knock Abner over and hold him, Marissa points a gun at his head, almost triumphant.

A sharp BANG, Marissa falls dead, and more security guys rush up the hallway, taking out Thea and Cecile. Rachel looks at where her gun is. She can’t reach it without revealing herself.

o Shay, “Stay there, Rachel, we can get you out.”

o Security, “Are you all right, sir?”

Abner points towards Rachel, “There’s one more down there!”

Rachel lunges for her gun, grabs it, and ducks back into the doorway before she can get shot. Desperately, she shoots at Abner, taking out some final security guys. She pulls the trigger and the gun clicks, out of bullets.

Security guys run up to her. She shuts her eyes and crosses herself.

They surround her and point their guns at her, “Put your hands in the air!”

Rachel weakly puts her hands up.

Abner rushes towards her, “She’s going to give me answers! Take her to the dungeons!”

A security guy, “Stand up.”

Slowly, Rachel stands. The security guy lowers his gun to take hold of her. In a flash, Rachel grabs a razor hidden in her hair and cuts her own throat.

o In the van, Shay listens in, horrified, “What the fuck.”

· In the safe room, Emma sobs while Rose puts an arm around her in a vague attempt to be comforting.

Abner, “It was the AFG. They sent twelve of their elite fighters, but we killed all of them.”

Emma, “Oh my god!”

Abner, “It means we’re safe, Emma. Twelve of our men died to keep us safe today.”

Emma freaks out, “I don’t want to stay here anymore!”

Abner, “You are safer here than anywhere else!”

Rose, “You should let her go back to her old apartment. It’s only you the AFG is interested in. They won’t bother with her.”

Abner, “Emma is still a princess, she needs to be at the palace!”

Emma, “Dad, you cannot make me stay here!”

Abner, “You are perfectly safe here!”

Emma, “I hate it here!”

Abner, “Not now, Emma!”

Rose, “Am I allowed to leave, yet? I told Jack I’d be back in the afternoon. You should come with me, get that shoulder stitched up.”

Abner glares at her, thinking for a moment, but then says, “I will.”

Emma, “What am I supposed to do now?”

Abner, “Go back to whatever it was you were doing before.”

Emma, “And pretend that I didn’t just get taken hostage?!”

Abner, “You’ll get used to it.”

  * Joel and Monique sit with David, Shay, Isaiah, and Asher.



Shay, “We should have sent more.”

Joel, “We couldn’t. Not without getting noticed.”

Shay, “How the fuck could Abner have survived this? I don’t understand! The girls I sent, they were fucking good!”

Monique, “I know I got seen bringing them in. I can’t go back to the palace any more.”

David, “That’s fine, Monique. It was risky to keep sending you, anyway.”

Joel, “So what now?”

David, “Either give Isaiah’s drone idea a try, or find something else.”

Isaiah, “I’ll keep working.”

Joel, “I’ll try to think of something.”

Everyone sits quietly for a second, and then Shay sniffs loudly, “Those girls, they were good! How could we have lost _all_ of them?” She breaks down crying.

David, “We knew this was possible.”

Shay, “There’s knowing it’s possible, and then there’s thinking it will happen! They’d all been with us, been with me, since the fucking beginning! I can’t fucking process this! Why are you all not more fucked up over this?!”

Asher, quietly, “They all went willingly.”

David, “It’s not that I don’t feel horrible about this. It’s just that I have a lot of things that I feel horrible about right now.”

  * At the hospital, Abner gets his shoulder stitched up. Outside his room, Rose and Michelle talk.



Rose, “They sent twelve of them.”

Michelle, “Twelve?”

Rose, “They were all girls!”

Michelle, “Queens of Gilboa. They’re out best. To lose twelve of them… Fuck, that’s bad.”

Abner comes out, his shoulder all bandaged. He sees Michelle’s AFG jacket, and fury flashes in his eyes, “You. I want to speak to you.”

Michelle, “What?”

Abner “You had something to do with this!”

Michelle, “I didn’t! You’ve kept me under close guard, you know everything I’ve done!”

Abner, “You’re coming with me.”

Michelle, “What?”

Abner turns to his security guy, “Bering her with me!” He begins to walk away.

The security guy grabs Michelle by the shoulders and pushes her roughly by the shoulders.

Michelle, “Get your fucking hands off of me!”

Rose follows them, “Linus, what are you doing?”

Abner, “Go visit your son, Rose!”

Rose jumps in front of Michelle, “I’m not letting you hurt her!”

Abner stops and turns around, “Don’t make me have you restrained!”

Another security guy grabs Rose. Abner turns around and keeps marching, Michelle pushed behind him.

Rose’s security guy holds her firmly in place, “Linus! Linus!”

  * Abner enters the morgue. The bodies of the twelve Queens are laid out on tables. Michelle is brought in beside Abner. She suppresses her horror.



Abner, “Look at them. Your precious idol, David Shepherd, sent all these girls on a suicide mission, and they failed! I know you know who they are! You’re going to identify every one of these bitches for me!”

Michelle, “I don’t know them.”

Abner, “You lying little cunt! They’re Queens of Gilboa! I know you were with them when they blew up the border checkpoint! Tell me their names!”

Michelle, “Do whatever the fuck you want to me, I’m not telling you shit!”

Abner, “I won’t hurt you. I’ll hurt Jack.”

Michelle, “No!”

Abner, “I’ll have him taken out of the hospital and locked in a cell just the way he is. If an infection doesn’t kill him, his recovery will be halted, and he’ll be permanently trapped, unable to speak, unable to move!”

Michelle sobs, “Fuck you!”

Abner, “Who are they?!”

Michelle goes over to the first table, and takes a good look at the body, “Alma Diaz.”

Abner, “Good. Go on.”

Michelle moves to the next, “Lilly Risinger,” She moves on, “Bridget Mann. Neela… I don’t know her last name.”

Abner, “Explain that to Jack.”

Michelle, “I don’t! I wish I did, but I don’t! I’m telling the truth!” She sobs, terrified.

Abner, “Fine. Keep going.”

Michelle goes on, “Rachel Olson. Hannah Terzich. Cecile… I don’t know.”

Abner, “You need to do better.”

Michelle, “I’m trying!”

Abner, “Keep going.”

Michelle, “Layla Choi. Marissa Brotz. Amy Todaro. Thea Losantos. Serena, I don’t know.”

The final Queen has a grisly facial injury that makes her unidentifiable.

Michelle, “She has her face blown off, I can’t tell.”

Abner, “Surely you can recognize the hair and the body type.”

Michelle, “I can’t!”

Abner, “I’m almost feeling sorry for Jack right now.”

Michelle, desperate, “I don’t know who she is!” She sobs, “If you’re going to punish me, please don’t hurt Jack! Do anything you want to me, just leave Jack alone!”

Abner, smugly, “Very well. You’ve done enough. Eleven out of twelve isn’t bad. I’ll leave Jack be.”

Michelle cries.

Abner, “Come on, let’s go see him.”

  * Michelle sullenly follows Abner into Jack’s room.



Rose stands up, “What did you do?”

Michelle, quietly, “Nothing, Mom. It’s fine.”

Rose, “What the fuck did you do to my daughter?!”

Jack’s eyes open to the noise.

Abner, “Michelle helped me identify the girls who tried to kill me today. She was very helpful.” He looks down at Jack, “I see Jack is awake.”

Michelle, “Leave him alone!”

Abner goes to the foot of the bed, “Your boyfriend tried to have me assassinated today. I’m going to kill him.”

Jack’s heart rate spikes.

Rose jumps in between Jack and Abner, “You son of a bitch, you get the fuck out of here!”

Abner, “Silas couldn’t kill Shepherd, but I will! His skull will be my trophy. Every day, you will look at it, and know what I did!”

Rose shoves him backwards, roaring, “SHUT UP!”

Jack’s eyes roll back in his head, he begins to convulse.

Michelle, “Jack!” Rose spins around.

Michelle, “Get a doctor, he’s having a seizure!”

Rose rushes out. Abner looks down at the sight of Jack convulsing. He smiles with mad satisfaction.

Michelle, “You sick motherfucker!”

Abner, “I will keep my crown.”


	41. S5, E4: The Nightmare

**“The Nightmare”**

David enters the hospital. He goes up to a nurse’s station, “I’m here to see Jack Benjamin.”

Nurse, “He’s in room 204.”

David, “Thanks.” David goes and finds the room. He opens the door, and sees Jack sitting on his bed, looking as he did before being shot. He smiles warmly at David.

(["Lovesick" Banks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nZ3Sm9MuAw)) David, “Jack!” He rushes over, hugs him tightly, and then kisses him, deeply, slowly and passionately. They take off each other’s clothes and make sweet, tender love.

David whispers into Jack’s ear, “I missed you so fucking much.” He looks into Jack’s eyes, seeing the happiness there, and smiles, giddy with love. BANG. Jack’s head jerks backwards, a hole in his forehead, blood spattering the pillow behind him. David looks behind him and sees Shaw standing there, pointing a gun at him.

David is back on Mt. Gilboa, on his knees in the snow, Jack bleeding beside him. An evil smirk appears on Shaw’s face.

  * In a safehouse, David jerks awake with a scream, sweating and panting. His eyes search the dark room around him, and he realizes it was just a dream.



Beside him, Asher’s groggy voice, “Bad dream?”

David, embarrassed, “Yeah.”

Asher, “The woods, again?”

David, “No, it… it was something else. Same thing happened in the end, though. Go back to sleep.” He sighs and lays there, dismayed.

  * David lays on a sofa, talking to Dr. Othman, “I’m pretty sure Asher is going to strangle me if I wake him up again.”



Othman, “Or he could find a different room to sleep in.”

David, “Yeah, but then someone else has to try to sleep next to me.”

Othman, “How are your daylight hours going?”

David, “Since Abner was crowned, the only two emotions I’ve experienced are angry and horny. Most of the time, I don’t feel anything, but, sometimes, those two pop up.”

Othman, “And how are you dealing with them?”

David, “In the past month, I’ve spent more time masturbating, than I ever have in my entire life.”

Othman, “That’s actually good. It’s a healthy way to deal with things.”

David, “Okay. I guess I’ll keep doing it, then,” he sighs heavily, “When Jack was around, I never looked at anyone else, and now… I can’t stop looking at other people. And I’m bi, so it’s not like I can make it better by surrounding myself with just one gender. There are hot people everywhere, and I feel like shit every time I find myself looking.”

Othman, “Don’t be too hard on yourself. Separation is a hard enough thing to deal with, even under normal circumstances. It’s normal that you’re going to be frustrated. Whether or not you act on it, that’s a different issue.”

  * In his hospital room, Jack watches TV while Michelle does homework.



A desk anchor on the news, “Today, the AFG has confirmed the identities of the twelve fighters sent to assassinate King Linus.”

Michelle looks up from her homework. The screen shows pictures of the twelve dead Queens. Michelle shudders and looks away.

Anchor, “They were all members of the elite fighting group called The Queens of Gilboa.”

Michelle, “I can change the channel, if you want.”

Jack shakes his head slightly. He opens and closes his mouth, but no words come out.

Michelle, “Don’t strain yourself trying to talk. The words will come eventually, you just can’t rush it. Save your energy for therapy, okay?”

Jack gives her a dirty look.

Michelle, “Look, I know you’re angry and frustrated, but there’s no magic way to fix a brain injury overnight. Believe me, I’ve looked. Just be glad you’re out of the ICU.”

Jack looks away, annoyed.

Michelle, “Being in the hospital fucking sucks. There’s no way around it.”

Jack looks up at the TV. A reporter stands in front of a huge protest, “Today protests continue outside the palace, calling on King Linus to abdicate in favor of David Shepherd.”

Suddenly, an explosion rocks the scene. Michelle stops doing her homework and stares.

Reporter: “There’s been some kind of explosion, I’m not sure what happened, I need to get to a safe place…”

  * ([“Beware” Death Grips](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqcTVVUFnKQ)) Chaos in Shiloh, people drop their signs and flags as they run. Amalekite gunmen appear and start shooting. Civilians fall, and try running back towards the palace.



o Elsewhere, the two big doors of a warehouse open, revealing Amal, grinning triumphantly and surrounded by brilliant light. He murder struts into the warehouse, devoted followers falling into line behind him.

o In front of the palace, a car bomb blows up. Police struggle to find the shooters in the chaos. The remains of the car bomb burn and billow smoke.

o Amal enters the main warehouse area, where a line of Amalekites strapped with bombs stands waiting.

o In Shiloh, flags and signs moments ago held up proudly now get trampled.

o Amal stands in front of the bomb-strapped Amalekites, and a follower points a phone at him, the video function on.

Amal smiles wickedly and begins his broadcast message, “Hello, Gilboa! I’m making this little video to say that, yes, the Amalekites are responsible for this morning’s attack.”

o People rip up flags to make tourniquets for the wounded. Police return fire at the shooters, taking some out. Other shooters return fire on the police, and hit them.

o Amal smirks, “You’re welcome. I’d also like to promise you, there’s more where that came from.”

o In the safehouse, Shay runs, shouting, “David!” and holding a phone.

David, “What?”

Shay goes up to him and shows him the phone.

o Amal continues his monologue, “Now, I know many of you aren’t sure whether or not you can trust certain figures who feature prominently in the news. Well, you can absolutely trust me.”

o In the council chamber, Abner gawks at a TV screen bearing Amal’s face.

o Amal, “Unlike King Linus and General Shepherd, I have never once lied to you. Both Linus and Shepherd talk a lot about doing the right thing, serving one’s country, protecting the innocent, shit like that, and then what do they do? The exact same shit that I do. They kill people. Lots and lots of people. I, on the other hand, straight up tell you that I want to cause wanton destruction and hasten society’s downfall.”

o Police and Amalekites exchange fire, while civilians cower.

o Amal begins to walk up and down the line of bomb-stopped followers, “Now, King Linus is an incompetent schmuck who, for thirty years, has done nothing but grovel at his master’s feet, and now his master is dead. How the hell is he supposed to lead his country through a time of war? I know that for this reason, many of you support General Shepherd, but I ask, has he really done anything to make this country better? Has he made anyone’s life better? He can’t protect you. He can’t even protect his own boyfriend. David was fucking there, and Prince Jack still got his brains blown out. Make no mistake, society is indeed falling apart,” he stops walking.

o Wounded civilians lie on the ground, helplessly clutching their wounds and crying.

o Amal, “If you join King Linus or General Shepherd, chances are, you’re gonna die. If you join me, chances are, you’re gonna die, but I’m not bullshitting you about it. If, by some miracle, you happen to survive, just imagine what you can do. You can re-build your life according to any wish you might have. You can be free, and not someone else’s definition of free. Join the Amalekites.”

o The dead lie on the ground, the Benjamin flag waving smartly over the scene.

  * In the safehouse, Shay talks to David, “Our units in Shiloh have a standing order to reposed to any attack. I can give other units an order to respond, too.”



David, “It’ll be too late by the time they get there, just send the Shiloh units,” he sighs and thinks for a moment, “We need to find a way to take out Amal. If we can’t get Abner, we can at least stop shit like this from happening.”

Shay, “Like Amal is going to be any fucking easier?”

David, “Amal doesn’t have a palace full of security!”

Shay, “Amal has an army of brainwashed fanatics, and he moves around!”

David, “That’s still not a reason we can’t at least think about how we’re gonna try to get him. Maybe even try to gather some intel.”

Shay, “I dunno what we’re gonna find.”

David, “Anything is better than nothing. Let’s take another look at the video. We might be able to glean something from that.”

Shay, “What if we don’t see anything?”

David, “We can try sending some scouts around Shiloh, see if they can find any possible hiding places.”

Shay sighs heavily, “Okay. You’re the boss.”

David, “Do you think there’s something else we should be doing?”

Shay, “Yeah, I do, but I don’t know what it is.”

David, “Don’t worry, I’m the same way.”

Shay, “Are you doing okay, David?”

David, “What?”

Shay, “I probably shouldn’t ask, but shit like this is so awful, and on top of Abner taking over…”

David, “I’m doing as okay as I can be. I’m still here.”

Shay, “Good. I worry about you, man.”

  * David walks down a hallway, and opens a bathroom door. He gets an eyeful of Beth getting out of the bath. She sees him.



David, “Oh, shit!” He slams the door shut and tries to walk away.

The door opens, and Beth comes out, wrapped in a towel, “Oh my god, I’m sorry!”

David turns around and sees Beth, “Usually, I hear when someone’s in there, but you were… I should have knocked.”

Beth, “I was taking a bath. Trying to relax. Self-care and all.”

David tries really hard not to stare, “I should have knocked.”

Beth, “Well, I guess my next phone call home is going to be really interesting. David Shepherd saw me naked. My sister is going to be really jealous.”

David, “I didn’t realize this was something to be jealous of."

Beth laughs, “I’m Beth, by the way. Beth Sabbatino.” She sticks out her hand.

David shakes it, “Nice to meet you. I’m David, but I guess you know that.”

Beth, “Yeah, I do.” She laughs nervously.

David’s eyes inch toward her boobs.

Beth, “Okay, well, I’ll let you use the bathroom, now.” She walks past him, her body brushing against his.

David hopelessly stares at her ass (it’s a nice ass, too), “Yeah, okay.”

  * David jerks off furiously in the shower, and then leans against the wall, muttering, “Fuuuck!”



  * A physical therapist, Josh, helps Jack sit upright. Jack wears a helmet to protect his brain.



Josh, “Okay, try to keep your head up. Lift your left leg for me.”

Jack follows the instructions, grimacing as Josh counts to ten.

Josh, “Good, now your right leg.”

Jack lifts his right leg, but it doesn’t go as high as the left.

Josh counts down to ten, “Excellent. You’re lucky to have regained innervation in your right side this quickly. Otherwise, you’d have a lot more muscular atrophy to contend with. Okay, let’s do it again.” He counts ten for the left side, ten for the right side, as Jack struggles.

Josh, “Great! If you keep progressing, I think soon we’ll be able to start working on getting you sitting up on your own. That’s a big deal.”

Jack flares his nostrils and sighs in frustration.

Josh, “Let’s move you to the mat.” Josh and an assistant move Jack to lay down on a floor mat.

Jack tries to sit up. He lifts his head and tries to raise his shoulders from the ground.

Josh catches him and gently pushes him back, “Woah! Hey! Slow down! We’re not there yet.”

Jack glares at him and grits his teeth.

  * In the living area of the safehouse, David Shay, Joel, Asher, and Isaiah group around Shay’s phone, watching the video.



Shay, “Motherfucker sure loves a monologue, doesn’t he?”

David, “There’s gotta be some way we can identify this building. Look, we’ve got a shot of the width of the building, if we can figure out the length, we can try matching it to warehouses in Shiloh.”

Isaiah, “I can estimate the width, but I can’t figure the length without getting a full view of the wall.”

David, “One wall length is better than nothing,” he shakes his head, “I feel like I know this place. I don’t know why.”

Asher, “Send it to Monique. She must know every abandoned warehouse in Shiloh. She’s set up raves in enough of them.”

Joel, “Okay, so if we manage to identify this place, then what? Do we just rush in like the Cross mansion?”

David, “It depends. Maybe a scout can get a look inside the place. If it’s in Shiloh, that means getting to a safehouse won’t be a problem like it was last time. We’re not pressed for time like we were- we have more time to be careful.”

Asher, “The longer we take, the more attacks Amal is going to make.”

  * In the council chamber, Abner makes a TV address, “Today’s cowardly attack on a peaceful protest will not go unanswered. I vow to uphold King Silas’s campaign against terrorism. Any group that threatens the safety and well-being of Gilboan citizens will be met accordingly.” The TV broadcast ends.



Abner takes off his microphone, “I never appreciated how much bullshitting goes into being king.”

Reinhardt looks at him, confused, “Bullshitting? Do you mean we don’t have a plan for the Amalekites?”

Abner, “I don’t care about them- the focus remains on Shepherd. He’s the only one who’s actually gotten close to me.”

Rose goes up to Abner, “If you don’t stop the Amalekites, Shepherd will. Do you really want to give him another hero moment?”

Abner, “I thought you were supporting Shepherd now.”

Rose, “I said I like him better than you. I never said I actually like him.”

Abner, “I can stop them both, I’m just going to stop Shepherd, first.”

Rose, “Well, good luck, then.”

  * In his room, Jack slowly blinks awake after a nap, exhausted from a long day of therapy. Suddenly, he tries to sit up straight, but struggles to balance, and leans back against his pillow. Andrew sits unexpectedly in the corner of the room, staring at Jack.



Andrew, “Looks like they finally found a way to make you shut up. All it took was a bullet.” He smirks subtly.

Jack glares at him, trying not to be intimidated. Andrew gets up and saunters over, savoring Jack’s helplessness. Jack reaches for the call nurse button, but Andrew pushes it just out of reach. Jack stares up at Andrew, glaring furiously and breathing heavily. Andrew reaches forward, bringing his fingertip to barely touch Jack’s cap.

Andrew, “Have you got a scar under there? You must.”

With his right hand, Jack reaches up to swat Andrew’s hand away, but Andrew grabs Jack’s wrist and holds his hand down. Jack struggles to lift his left hand, but it drags as if weighed down.

Andrew, gloating over him, “It’s terrible isn’t it, being this helpless?” With his free hand, Andrew traces a finger along the edge of Jack’s cap (note: Jack wear knit caps to protect his head), and then raises the edge up to reveal the scar.

Andrew, “This must be where the bullet went in.” He touches it, and Jack winces.

Andrew, “I heard they removed your skull, so there's nothing protecting your brain but skin and tissue.” He pushes the cap up, revealing the misshapen places where the skull is missing. He runs his fingertips over the surface of the indentation. He reaches the side of Jack's face, and then traces his finger down his cheek. Gently, he caresses the side of his face. Andrew smiles, almost tenderly, and whispers, “Are you scared?”

Suddenly, a paper coffee cup smacks into his head, sending coffee everywhere.

Michelle stands in the doorway, “What the fuck are you doing in here?!"

Andrew steps away from Jack, fuming and dripping, I’m visiting my cousin!”

Michelle, “The fuck you are!” A nurse looks in from the doorway.

Nurse, “What’s going on here?”

Andrew, “She attacked me!”

Michelle, “He shouldn’t be here! How the fuck did he get in here?!”

Andrew, “I’m family!” A security guard appears beside the nurse, “What’s going on?”

Michelle, “Where the fuck were you?! How the hell did he get into Jack’s room?!”

Guard, “He's family?”

Michelle, “He’s a family member like a tumor is a body part! He needs to be taken out of here!”

Andrew, “She just assaulted me! She should be removed!”

Michelle, “Oh, fuck you!” she looks at the guard, “Get him out!”

The security guard goes over to Andrew, “Come on.”

Andrew glares back at Michelle, “I was going to make an offer!”

Michelle, “What?”

Andrew, “I was going to offer to be the one who goes to David Shepherd’s funeral, but since you’ve been so rude, consider it rescinded.”

Michelle rushes up and pushes him out of the room, "Get out!” She watches the security guard take him away.

Nurse, carefully, “Should I get someone to clean up the mess?”

Michelle, suddenly awkwardly calm and quiet, “Yeah, that- that would be great.” The nurse disappears. Michelle sighs and flops down into her chair beside Jack’s bed.

She sniffs and wipes away tears, “God, what an asshole.” She looks over at Jack, and reaches out to take his hand, “Are you okay?”

Jack nods. Michelle sighs, looks around and sees the remote on the bedside table. The takes it and turns the TV on.

Immediately, Amal is on the news, “He can’t even protect his own boyfriend. David was fucking there, and Prince Jack still got his brains blown out.”

Jack breathes heavily, gritting his teeth with rage. He slams his shoulders back into the bed.

Michelle rushes to him, “Stop it!”

Jack slams his shoulders again.

Michelle grabs him, “Stop it! You do shit like this, they won’t let you take that fucking helmet off!”

Jack looks up at her, still breathing heavily, tears in his eyes. He opens his mouth, trying to speak, but nothing comes out.

Michelle gently wipes away his tears, “I don’t know what to say to you. I know you’re in hell right now. You have every reason to be furious at everything.”

Jack keeps trying, in vain, to say something.

Michelle holds his hand, “David saved your life again. You understand that, right? He was there trying to save you.”

Jack nods.

Michelle, “You and David are gonna be together again. He’s not gonna stop fighting until he can be with you. And your words are gonna come back to you. It’s just not gonna happen right away.”

Jack sobs quietly.

Michelle, “Listen, I know how scared you are right now. I know because I’ve been there. I know that you’re scared you’re not gonna get better. I know you’re confused and angry and you just fucking want to be the way you were. I went through the exact same thing,” tears fall down her face, “And if I could, Jack, I’d do it all for you. I’d do the therapy, I’d bear the pain. I’ve done it once already. I can’t do it for you, but… if I can get through it, you can too.” She squeezes Jack’s hand as tightly as she can, and they both cry.

Michelle, “I’m not gonna let you be alone like I was. I know you want to be with David, and I can’t be him, but… I won’t let you be alone, okay? I’ll be here. I swear. I love you, Jack.”

Jack cries and squeezes her hand back.

  * Late at night, David sits on a sofa, watching Amal’s video on a laptop. He goes backwards on it and re-watches a part where a window is visible. He sees movement and looks up to see Beth looking at him.



Beth, “Hi. Insomnia?”

David, “Yeah. Haven’t really slept well in a long time.”

Beth, “I’ve always been an insomniac. Mind if I sit with you?”

David, “Sure.” Beth sits down on the other side of the sofa.

David, “I know I’ve seen this warehouse before, I just can’t place it…”

Beth, “I didn’t know you could tell one warehouse from another.”

David, “Well, right now, I can’t, so you might be right.”

Beth laughs softly. She sits quietly for a moment, and then says, “It was really unfair what Amal said about you and Jack. If it weren’t for you, Jack would be dead right now.”

David, quietly, “Cameron was the one who saved him.”

Beth, “Yeah, well, you led Cameron there.”

David doesn’t say anything.

Beth, “Sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up. That can’t be an easy memory to deal with.”

David, “Why do you think I have insomnia?”

Beth, “I can’t even imagine watching something like that happening to Ryan.”

David, “Ryan?”

Beth, “My boyfriend. Ryan Hitt?”

David, “Oh. Oh, yeah. Ryan. I guess that makes sense. Of course a girl like you would have a boyfriend.”

Beth, “A girl like me?”

David blushes furiously, “I- I mean, you- you’re good looking.”

Beth, “Aren’t you gay?”

David, “I’m bi.”

Beth, “Okay. I’m straight.”

David, “That’s good to know. I guess.”

Beth, “I’m really sorry you can’t be with Jack.” David goes quiet for a long moment. Beth stares down at her feet.

Finally, David says, “I was going to pick him up when he got shot. I went to Mt. Gilboa thinking that I’d have him in my arms again by that evening. I-” he pauses, thinking, “The last time Jack and I were together, I got stabbed, and then had surgery out in the middle of the fucking woods without any anesthesia, and I thought, for sure, that I would never experience anything shittier than that. Turns out, I was wrong.”

Beth, “They can do that?”

David, “Do what?”

Beth, “Surgery without anesthesia.”

David, “If you don’t believe me, look at the scar.” He puts the laptop on the floor, and lifts his shirt to expose his stomach, “This is where I got stabbed, this is where they did the laparotomy.”

Beth leans in, “Holy shit.”

She traces a finger down the length of the laparotomy scar, “That’s horrible.”

David tries to hide his shudder. He lowers his shirt, “Still better than watching Jack get shot.”

Beth goes back to her end of the couch, and David picks the laptop up again.

David, softly, “I don’t even know if he’d recognize me. Brain injuries can do that. For all I know, he’s a fucking vegetable.”

David watches Amal’s video again. He pauses it at a moment when the window is visible, “I know that window.”

Beth, “What?”

David, “There’s a window, here, I know it!” He turns the laptop around and shows Beth, “The red and blue glass panels, I saw those the first time I saw Monique perform! I know which warehouse this is!”

Beth, “Oh my god!”

David, “Well, Monique will know it. I don’t remember exactly where the warehouse is. Shit, I’ve gotta call her.”

Beth, “Maybe you should wait.”

David, “What?”

Beth, “Monique will be pissed if you wake her up at 3 AM.”

David, “Oh, yeah. Shay will probably be pissed, too.” He sighs and rubs his temples, “Fuck, I’ve got a headache.”

Beth, “I’m gonna try to go back to sleep. Maybe you should try sleeping, too. Or at least lying in bed and thinking about how we’re gonna take out the Amalekites.”

David, “Yeah, I’ll try. I guess.”

Beth gets up and smiles at him, “Night.”

David, “Night.” He watches her leave.

  * In the bathroom, David searches the medicine cabinet for aspirin. He grabs a bottle, takes out a few pills, and takes them. He puts the bottle back and sees a box of condoms on the shelf. He stares at them for a moment, brain churning, hesitant. He grabs a strip of condoms and stuffs them into his pocket. He shuts the cabinet.




	42. S5, E5: Destruction

**“Destruction”**

David shows the video to Monique. They’re at a table with Shay, Joel, Isaiah, and Asher.

Monique, “Oh, I know this place. I’ve had some truly memorable raves there.”

Shay, “What’s it like inside?”

Monique, “It’s a warehouse. Big and empty.”

Shay, “What’s it used for? What can we expect to be in there?”

Monique, “It’s used for storing shit. I don’t know what it’s used for, I just know the acoustics are good.”

David, “There’s multiple points of entry, more than there were at the Cross mansion, we can get in a lot quicker.”

Joel, “What if this place is rigged to explode?”

David, “Amal is in there. He’s not going to kill himself.”

Isaiah, “If it’s full of boxes, it’ll light up real quick.”

Shay sighs heavily, “Well, we’ve raided the Amalekites before, and been at least somewhat successful. This time we’re not rescuing anyone, just trying to kill Amal.”

Joel, “We can make it simple, have Isaiah make a big-assed bomb, light it off, voila, Amal is gone.”

David, “We have to _kill him_ kill him. If there’s even a remote possibility he can survive something and escape, he will. We can’t guarantee a bomb will kill him. Plus, if we only kill him, his followers could still carry on his mission. We need to take as many of them out as possible.”

Shay, “We go in quick and discrete. Bring our best. Come to kill. Have snipers posted near the entrances, they take out anyone who tries to leave. Have backup further down in case the snipers miss. He won’t be able to sneak away this time. We’re going in prepared.”

Asher, “The good news is, this time, we have plenty of nearby safehouses. Treating the wounded shouldn’t be a problem.”

David thinks for a moment, “If Amal is there, they’re going to die to defend him. They’re going to make this as hard as they possibly can. Also, Amal likes to fuck with people’s heads. He’s gonna try to confuse us, turn us against each other.”

Shay, “We’ll be ready for that.”

David, “Also, I honestly have no idea how they’re going to try to fight back. The soldiers who go in first have to be ready for anything. It’s not entirely crazy that they might blow the place up.”

  * AFG snipers set up on rooftops near the Amalekite warehouse. Inside another warehouse, Robert, James, Ryan, Liam, Adam, David, Joel, Shay, and Isaiah get ready for the raid.



Outside the Amalekite warehouse, AFG soldiers climb out of the backs of various trucks and vans.

David speaks to a group of leaders, “We’ve got six groups for each of the six entrances, but I’m keeping some small groups posted on the outside of each entrance in case anyone tries to get out. Ryan, you’re in charge of that. Adam, I want you to stay with me. Everyone else, get in position.”

The group leaders lead their groups out into the area outside, and approach the entrances. One by one, they say, “Ready.”

Shay speaks into her headset, “Go.” The doors blast open.

The teams go inside, ready to shoot at the slightest sign of movement. The warehouse is filled with maze-like stacks of boxes.

Joel talks into his headset, “I don’t see anything. This place is full of boxes, I’m not sure how to proceed.”

Robert, “I’m not seeing anything, either.”

David says to Shay, “Shit. We need to get in there.”

Shay, “They aren’t fighting, they’re trying to lure us in there.”

David, “We gotta go in there, no matter what.”

Shay, “All right, let’s go.”

David, “We all go in at a different place, come on.”

Shay, Joel, and Isaiah spread around the building, and go inside the maze.

David looks around at the boxes spreading out in front of him, “Shit.” He eyes a nearby ladder leading up to a platform, “I want to get a better view from above.” He climbs up a stack of boxes, and as he reaches the top, a shot rings out. A bullet ricochets off the ladder just above his head.

David jumps back down, “Shit! Okay, we know they’re in here!”

The speaker system crackles, and Amal’s voice fills the warehouse, “Hello, General Shepherd! Thrilled you decided to come today! I’m not gonna waste words, I know you’re here to kill me, and you can do that, but you’ve gotta find me, first.”

David looks around.

Shay, “What do we do, David?”

David, “I’m going in. But I’m not going in alone.”

He looks back at Adam, “I want you covering me,” he waves to the big group of soldiers behind him, “And I want the rest of you following us. We’re gonna take them out. Come on.”

He enters one of the pathways in between the boxes. The other groups go into other entrances. Slowly, David inches down the narrow path, Adam creeping closely behind him.

Amal, “I see we aren’t fucking around today. I expected nothing less from this brave leader, the man who runs head-first into danger, who blows up every tank he sees, who heroically sacrifices himself for a greater good.”

A shot fires from above, hitting one of David’s soldiers. David shoots in the direction the shot came from. Another shot comes from the opposite direction, and takes out another one of this soldiers. Adam shoots in the other direction. The firing stops. David’s breath shakes, he keeps pointing his gun up at the area above him. Nothing happens.

Shay, “David, what’s going on?”

David, “I have it handled. Keep going. We can’t stop.”

A box full of something heavy is pushed down onto David’s head, knocking him over. His soldiers furiously shoot where it fell from.

Robert leads his group towards the sound of the firing.

Adam goes over to David and helps him get up. David touches a cut on his eyebrow, sees the blood on his fingers.

Adam, “You alright?”

Shay, “Shit, David, let’s just fuckin’ burn this place and get out of here.”

David, “No! I’m not stopping until I get Amal!”

Amal, “You know, I’ve always liked your determination.”

David waves, “Come on. Everyone keep going.”

Ryan leads his group further in, and so does Shay.

Amal, “It may seem strange, but I really admire what you’re doing. Not the whole freeing Gilboa part. The killing people part. You’ve got quite a body count, David. And not just the usual pile of dead soldiers. I mean, you executed one of your closest friends. I killed my old boss. I hated that bitch, so it was easy. Killing a friend? That’s hard.”

David grits his teeth with anger but keeps pressing forward.

A burst of gunfire, one of Shay’s soldiers falls. Shay shoots back, and an Amalekite falls to the ground, dead.

Amal, “You inspire me, David. I never would have become a terrorist if it weren’t for you. I talk a lot about trying to tear down society, and I like to think that I’ve done my part, but I still can’t hold a candle to you.”

More exchange of gunfire. David goes forward and sees motion out of the corner of his eye. He spins around and sees another unit of AFG soldiers down another pathway, pointing their guns at him. He lowers his gun and signals for them to go in another direction. They leave, and David presses on.

Amal, “Look at what you’ve done. You drove King Silas to madness, led him into not one, but two wars. I couldn’t do that.”

David comes to a fork in the paths, he looks down the two ways.

Amal, “Every attack I make, I’m just trying to do what you’re doing. The palace, Damascus, Fistopia, the Belle Visage, the Western Mall… Damn, I’m losing track. You must have trouble keeping track of all the destruction you’ve caused, too.”

Gunfire. David takes the left fork, moving forward with determination.

Amal, “So, in case you’re wondering, yes, all those attacks are absolutely your fault.”

David, “Shut the fuck up!”

Amal laughs, “What, you don’t like the truth? I guess it’s easier to accept the deaths of a bunch of faceless strangers, but what about the people you know? Didn’t you kill one of your friends in the AFG’s first attacks?”

David hurries forward. He finds another path, takes it.

Amal, “Oh, I know, what about that little prince, Seth? Yeah, he’d definitely still be alive if weren’t for your crusade. I’d get into the other prince, but since he’s your boyfriend, I’m pretty sure you know full well that it’s your fault he’s a vegetable.”

David searches frantically for a way towards Amal. Another box falls in front of him, but he ducks, and it misses him. Adam fires up at the ceiling, two Amalekites fall.

Amal, “Hey, that’s another two you can add to your death tally. You know, you don’t even have to kill your friends to hurt them. You can just kill their parents, like you did to your Rabbi. Didn’t your diplomat’s dad get killed? I almost forgot about that. They tortured her brother, too, didn’t they? Nothing like good old-fashioned torture.”

David fires at the ceiling. Dust falls, but nothing else.

Amal, “Really, you have to ask yourself, why are you even doing all this? For peace and freedom? What the fuck does that even mean? You want the crown. That’s it. You aren’t any different from Silas, or Linus, or anyone else who’s declared himself king. You’re going to start more wars. You’re going to suppress your political opponents. You’ve fought so damn hard, you’re not gonna let someone else challenge you for that crown, are you? You won’t let anyone else touch it. You’ll kill them before that happens.”

David finds another branch, he looks through it, and sees a large group of Amalekites. They all fire at him. He ducks back into the boxes. The Amalekites come through to find him, and he and his soldiers fire at them.

Amal laughs, “See, I’m right!”

David fights with the Amalekites.

Shay and her group run towards the sound of the fighting. She sees the Amalekites and opens fire on them, taking them out.

Amal, “I see you still have friends. Is that Shay Mendoza? Do you think she’s gonna die for you?”

Shay and David look at each other.

Amal, “How are you gonna hurt her, David? What terrible tragedy is going to befall her because of her involvement with you?”

Shay, “Don’t listen to him, David!”

Amal, “I see Ryan Hitt and Isaiah Clemens are both here. Are your brothers here, too? Which one of them is going to get killed? Do you really think none of your friends are gonna die for you?”

David catches another movement out of the corner of his eye, and spins around, firing. Ryan ducks at the end of another path, nearly struck by Davis’ bullets.

Amal, “So you’re gonna kill Hitt, your best soldier. Nice. I bet next time it’ll be on purpose.”

David presses on, infuriated.

Amal, “I admire you, David. You’re so much more of a villain than I ever could be. You make destruction look good. You make it _feel_ good. I can’t do that. Only you can. If I am a demon, you summoned me. I wish I were you. Everything that I am, everything that I do, all because of you.”

David finds one final opening, and goes through it, out into an empty space surrounded by boxes. He’s met by another group of Amalekites, and fires on them.

Shay runs towards the fray, firing, “We’re at the center!”

Amalekites fall, and visible behind them is Amal, watching the scene with delight. David runs for him, fury in his eyes.

Shay, “David!”

David reaches Amal and tackles him. He begins to pummel his face in. Ryan and his group reach the center, and fire at the Amalekites, taking them all out. Amalekites begin to appear at the rim top of the circle of boxes, and fire down at the AFG, who fire back. Other groups, including Robert’s, come out of the maze, and start firing.

David furiously keeps beating Amal. He grabs Amal’s collar and slams his head against the concrete floor again and again.

Amal spits out a mouth full of blood and teeth and laughs, “You love it, don’t you?!”

David punches him again and again.

Amal, his face an unrecognizable bloody mess, “You aren’t killing me, you’re making me suffer! You’re a man after my own heart!”

David grabs his gun and points it at Amal’s head.

Amal laughs, “Go ahead, kill me. Society is still going to fall apart. You’re leading the charge. Do you really think you’re going to help anyone, make anything better? You’re my fucking brother, David. You think you’re doing the right thing. Really, you’re doing so much more damage than you can even comprehend. All of my followers have taken an oath. If I die, they die with me. If you kill me, you will be responsible for all of their deaths. So go ahead, do the right thing. Kill me.”

David pulls the trigger. Amal’s hand opens, and a deadman switch falls out. Two bombs in the warehouse go off. Robert is next to one of the bombs, and his unmistakably killed.

David ducks and covers his head. Gunfire continues around him, and he looks up. The surviving Amalekites continue to fight with the surviving AFG, and fire begins to engulf the cardboard of the boxes.

Isaiah, “Get the fuck out of there, that place is gonna be nothing but fire in MINUTES!”

David looks around, and sees Shay laying nearby him, bleeding from her arm. He runs over and helps her up.

Shay, “How the fuck are we gonna get out of here?!”

David, “I don’t know, but we have to!” He points to where a narrow path leads away from the flames, “There!” A group of Amalekites try to cut them off but are quickly taken down by AFG fire.

David looks up at the shelves above him, “Adam, get over here, you’re gonna be the one who helps Shay get out!”

Adam rushes over and takes Shay.

David climbs up to the top of the stacks. An Amalekite tries to attack him, but he fights him off, and throws him to the ground. David looks around, and covers his face with his shirt, trying not to breathe in the smoke.

He yells down, “Come on, follow me, I’ll find a way out of here!”

Another two Amalekites try to rush him, but he shoots one and knocks the other off. He starts moving towards the outside, leaping from one row of boxes to another.

Below, Adam and Shay follow him. Ryan and a few other able-bodied soldiers climb to the top and start leading others towards the outside.

David reaches the outside, where Isaiah waits for him. He looks back down and sees Adam, Shay, and other soldiers hurrying towards the exits.

David climbs down and Isaiah hurries up to him, “What the fuck just happened?!”

David, “Amal had some kind of deadman switch!”

Isaiah, “Police and firefighters are gonna start showing up soon, we gotta get the fuck out of here!”

David, “Why aren’t they already here?”

Isaiah, “I dunno!”

Adam yells at David, “Come on!”

David follows Adam and Shay out of the warehouse.

  * Outside, people pile the wounded into vans. Sirens sound in the distance, but don’t come any closer. David jumps into a van behind Shay and Adam and shuts the door.



The van takes off. David, “Shay, are you okay?”

Shay grimaces, “It’s a fucking shrapnel wound, gimme a couple weeks, I’ll be okay.”

David pulls out his phone and checks into the CheckIn app. He looks and sees Robert is still listed as unchecked.

David, “Did either of you see Robert?” He looks out the windshield of the van, and sees a fire truck turn a corner ahead, racing in a direction away from the warehouse.

David, “The warehouse is in the other direction, why the fuck are they going that way?”

Shay, “I don’t know. Call Abby, tell her we’ve got a shitload of wounded coming into the safehouses, we’re gonna have burns and smoke inhalation, too.”

  * In the safehouse, Abby and Asher sit gawking at a television set.



Abby’s phone buzzes, and she answers, “David what the fuck happened?”

David, “I killed Amal and he had a deadman switch, a bomb went off!”

Abby, utterly horrified, “Oh my fucking god.”

David, “We’ve got a lot of wounded coming into the safehouses, we need all of our medics prepared!”

Abby, “David…”

David, “What?”

Abby, “Just get back here.” She ends the conversation.

On the TV, a reporter stands in front of a devastated, chaotic scene, “Multiple bombs have gone off across Shiloh in what looks like a coordinated attack, likely set off again by the Amalekites. First responders are arriving, but they are clearly overwhelmed by the scale of this attack…”

  * In the van, Adam shows David the news on his phone.



David yells up at the truck’s driver, “Turn around! We’re going to help!”

Shay, “Anyone who shows up in an AFG jacket is going to get arrested!”

David, “Then take our fucking jackets off! We caused this attack-”

Shay, “We didn’t!”

David, “We’re going to help! Turn the truck around!”

Shay, “David, stop it! I’m fucking wounded, we need to go somewhere safe!”

David, “Send everyone who can out. That includes you, Adam. We need to respond to this.” He raises his hand, which is bruised and swollen, to brush his hair back.

Shay leans forward, “Jesus, what did you do to your hand?”

David, “I don’t know, something snapped.”

Shay, “Fuck. You need to get that looked at.”

David, “You and I are going back to the safehouse, everyone else is going out to help! We have to help!”

  * At a devastated cafe, chaos still swirls, AFG members jump out of a van. Cameron is followed by Ryan and Beth as he begins to look for wounded people to help.



He goes up to a woman sitting on a curb with a wounded arm and blood on her forehead, “Hey, I’m a medic, are you getting help?”

Woman, “No.”

Cameron, “Lemme look at your head.”

He examines the cut on her head, “Looks like just a laceration, you just need some stitches,” he turns over to Ryan, “Ryan, can you get her head bandaged?”

Ryan gets a bandage out of Cameron’s kit and helps while Ryan examines the woman’s arm.

Elsewhere, a police officer looks at the AFG jackets around him, and asks into his radio, “We have AFG jackets here, what am I supposed to do?”

  * In a situation room, Abner rages while Reinhardt and other officers listen in.



Abner, “I don’t understand this! How could all of these bombs have gone off at once?”

Reinhardt, “You’ve been in the army long enough, I’m sure you know how detonation signals work.”

Abner, “Shut the fuck up, Reinhardt! I’m the fucking king and I deserve your respect!”

Reinhardt, “My sincerest apologies, sir.”

An aide comes in, “Sir, police captains are reporting that AFG soldiers and medics are showing up at the bombing scenes as first responders. They want to know what to do.”

Abner, “Arrest them!”

Reinhardt, “Seriously?”

Abner, “I told you to shut up!”

Reinhardt, “Well, pardon me for speaking up sir, but arresting medics who are trying to help after a major attack is a stupid fucking idea. The public already hates you; do you really want to piss them off more?”

Abner, “Arrest anyone in an AFG jacket!”

  * Side by side, a police officer and Cameron apply first aid to two injured people.



An order comes across the officer’s radio, “A blanket arrest order has been issues for any members of the AFG. All officers are to stop what they’re doing and arrest any AFG operatives they see.”

Cameron stops what he’s doing and looks at the officer.

The officer looks at him for a moment, then looks around at the other injured people still waiting for help, and then says, “Fuck my orders, keep doing what you’re doing.”

Cameron gives him a thankful smile and keeps going.

  * At a safehouse, Dr. Alves examines David’s hand, which is swollen and bruised. Abby sits next to them. The cut on his face is held together with a butterfly bandage.



David winces, “Ah!”

Alves, “Did you feel anything snap?”

David, “I might have. I dunno. I was punching Amal pretty hard.”

Alves, “Can you move your pinkie?”

David tries, but grimaces, “Ah! No.”

Alves, “Looks like your small metacarpal is broken. We call it a boxer’s fracture, happens when you punch shit too hard. You’re gonna be in a cast for six to eight weeks.”

David, “I can’t do that, I still have to fight Abner.”

Alves, “Find someone else to do it, or wait six to eight weeks, because otherwise your hand is gonna be permanently fucked.”

David, “All right, fine.”

Alves, “I’ll get you in a splint, then.”

David, “Shit.”

Alves leaves.

Abby, “So what are we supposed to do, David?”

David, “Do about what?”

Abby, “About fucking everything!”

David, “Fuck if I know. You’re the diplomat. How many people are dead?”

Abby, “It’s too early to tell, but, at least ten bombs went off in Shiloh, and a lot more all across Gilboa.”

David, “Are you fucking kidding me?”

Abby, “I wish I was.”

David, “It’s all my fault.”

Abby, “No, it’s not. Alek Amal set those bombs off, you had nothing to do with it.”

David, “I kind of did have something to do with it. We might as well make a statement and acknowledge everything. There’s no use trying to hide or deny it. Just stick to the facts of what happened, I guess.”

Abby, “That makes sense. I’ll put something together.” Abby leaves.

With his good hand, David pulls his phone out of his pocket. He opens the CheckIn app and looks at his list. Everyone is safe, except for Robert. David stares at it for a moment, and them puts the phone back in his pocket.

  * In his office with Reinhardt, Abner watches the news.



Abner, “How many arrests have been made?”

Reinhardt looks at his tablet, “Uh…. none.”

Abner, “What?! Twelve bombs went off in Shiloh, and AFG was at every one of them. I gave a blanket arrest order. Did the entire police force ignore it?”

Reinhardt, “I can’t tell you, sir. But I think in an emergency situation, a good police officer will put his focus on helping those in need rather than making arrests.”

Abner, “God fucking damn it!”

Suddenly, a breaking news graphic flashes across the TV screen. Abner and Reinhardt both look up.

TV anchor, “The Gilboan News Network has just received footage that seems to show General David Shepherd and the AFG leading an attack on an Amalekite stronghold where Alek Amal was present. It appears that General Shepherd has killed Alek Amal, and Amal’s death may be what triggered the bombs in today’s attacks.”

Security footage shows David beating the crap out of Amal, and then bombs going off. As Abner watches, his expression goes from curiosity to horror to jubilation, while Reinhardt maintains the same expression of disbelief.

Abner, joyous, “Do you hear that?! It’s Shepherd's fault! It’s all Shepherd’s fault! I need to make an address!”

Reinhardt, “Right now?”

Abner, “Yes, right now!”

Reinhardt, “Shepherd just killed Alek Amal, hundreds of innocent people are dead, and you’re going to go on TV and fucking gloat about it?!”

Abner, “I need to be seen winning! This is Shepherd’s fault!”

Reinhardt, “David only killed Amal because you and Silas did exactly dick to stop him!”

Abner, “Watch your tone, Director! You are important but you are not irreplaceable!”

Reinhardt takes a deep, angry breath, and in a calm voice, says, “I apologize for speaking rashly, your majesty. I just believe it would be unwise to make that sort of statement at the moment.”

Abner glares at Reinhardt, knowing he’s right, “In the morning.”

  * David sits with Shay, Joel, Abby, and Isaiah, watching the news.



David, “Is this my fault?”

Abby, “No. All people are going to take away form this is that image of you beating the shit out of Alek Amal and then killing him.”

David, “I’m not turning this into another hero moment.”

Abby, “We don’t have to.”

Joel looks at David’s new cast, “Hey, can we sign that thing?”

David, “No dicks.”

Joel, “What’s the point of signing a cast if you don’t draw dicks on it?”

Abby gets up and goes over to a desk, “Where’s the pens?” She takes out a marker, and then goes over to David. Carefully, she draws a vagina on David’s cast and signs it love, Abby.

David, “I said no dicks!”

Abby, “It’s not a dick!”

David, “No more genitalia, all right?!”

Shay, Joel, and Isaiah all cackle. They pass the pen around and take turns signing the cast.

James and Ethan enter. They both have red, wet eyes.

Ethan, softly, “David.”

David, watching Shay sign his cast, “Yeah, what?”

Ethan, “Can we talk to you alone?”

David casts nervous glances to Shay, Isaiah, Joel, and Abby, “Yeah, sure.” He doesn’t look at his brothers as the others leave.

When the room is empty, he casts a nervous sideway glance at them, “What is it?”

James, “It’s Robert.”

David, “I know he hasn’t checked in yet, he may be injured.”

James, “He’s dead.”

David, “Look, if I have learned anything in this whole fucked up experience, it’s to never believe someone is dead until you see a fucking body.”

Ethan, “There’s not going to be a body.”

David looks at both of them, dread coursing throughout his body.

James, “Someone told us- he was right next to one of the bombs.”

David, “He could still just be wounded.”

Ethan, “There’s footage. The whole warehouse was rigged with security cameras, they caught everything.” He holds his phone up.

David, “I don’t want to see it!” He sits unnaturally still, staring forwards with eyes unfocused.

David, “Who’s gonna tell Mom? We should do it before she sees it on the news.”

Ethan, “We can do it together.”

David nods stiffly, “Okay,” he takes a deep breath, “Let’s do it.”

  * In his cell, Vesper works on his translations. Abner enters.



Vesper looks up and sees him, “Good to see you again.”

Abner sits down across from him, “When Silas would visit you, what did you two talk about?”

Vesper, “This and that. The ordeals of being king, mostly. Perhaps a bit about theology and philosophy. We played quite a few games of chess. Care for a game?”

Abner, “Fine.”

Vesper, “I’ll let you play white. You can make the first move.”

Abner thinks for a moment and moves a pawn.

Vesper, “Are you an experienced player?”

Abner, “Not especially.”

Vesper, “Then I’ll go easy on you.” He moves a pawn.

Abner thinks and then makes another move, “Today, I fucked up. I made the AFG look good and myself look terrible. I keep trying to do what I think Silas would do, but I can’t quite seem to get it right.”

Vesper, “Are you asking me how Silas would take out Shepherd? Because it seems to me that he failed at that objective. Maybe that’s why you’re failing, too,” he makes a move, “Silas was an aggressive player, always brought his queen out too early. It took him a while, but, slowly, he learned the value of patience, and making a strategy. He learned when to sacrifice his pieces and when to protect them.”

Abner, “Is there some sort of metaphor here?”

Vesper, “In chess, you don’t win by eliminating all the other player’s pieces. You win by making their king unable to move.”

Abner, “So are you saying all I have to do is trap Shepherd?”

Vesper, “Chess is just a game, Linus. Never mistake a game for real life.”

  * David, Ethan and James sit in a small room. They have three chairs arranged together, and James sits in the middle still holding a cell phone. They all have red, swollen eyes and look exhausted. David gets up and walks over to a corner.



He pushes his good hand through his hair, thinking deeply, “Guys I… I think you should maybe go to another safehouse. For safety. I- I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I don’t want you to be here if someone comes looking for me.”

Ethan, “You mean like Abner? Fuck him. We’re sticking together.”

David looks back at them, “Can you please just go? It would make it easier for me.”

Ethan and James stare at him.

James, “David, we need to stay together.”

David, “Please. For fuck’s sake, please.”

Ethan and James look at each other.

Ethan, “All right. We’ll go to a new house in the morning.”

  * Nighttime, David lies awake. He gets out of bed and puts his pants on. He leaves the bedroom and wanders out into the living room. Beth sits out on the sofa, watching the news with the sound off and closed captions on. She wears a tiny, tight t-shirt and a pair of boy-cut panties.



David, “Hi.”

Beth looks up, “Oh, hi. I was just watching the news. They keep showing that footage of you beating up Amal. It’s pretty incredible.”

David goes over and sits down beside her, “I thought I’d end today celebrating the end of the Amalekites. Instead…” he pauses, unsure about what to say, “I’ve got my hand in a cast for six to eight weeks.” He raises his cast.

Beth, “Can I sign it?”

David, “Sure. I don’t know where the pens are…”

Beth goes over to a desk and opens a drawer, “Here.” She goes over to David, and gently touches his arm. Their faces almost touch.

Beth, “Is that a vagina?”

David, “I said no dicks.”

Beth laughs and signs his cast, “There. Nothing obscene, just my name.”

David, “Thanks.”

Beth stays close to David, and lowers her voice, “You were really amazing today. I mean it. Alek Amal, he’s fucking terrifying, or, thanks to you, he was. If I were in the same room with him, I would have just panicked. You ran straight to him and beat the shit out of him. That’s incredible.”

David, “My brother was killed.”

Beth looks at him for a long moment, and then says softly, “I’m so sorry… Is there something I can do for you?”

David, “No. There’s nothing anyone can do.”

Beth awkwardly puts a hand on his shoulder, which seems to draw David out of his trance a little bit. He shuts his eyes and feels her touch scorching his skin. Beth leans in close to David, and kisses him, and he kisses her back. ([“Desire” Meg Myers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agul5xTnqdY))

David and Beth passionately rip each other’s clothes off. A condom wrapper falls to the floor. They fuck with raw intensity. Beth claws at David’s back, and he bites her lip. She moans with pleasure, and David gasps as he comes. For a moment, he lies on top of her, panting. He opens his eyes and looks at her. She smiles at him, satisfied.

David gets to his feet, “This isn’t going to happen again!” He grabs his clothes and walks off, leaving Beth confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Unfortunately, I'm going through some extremely difficult personal stuff right now so I can't guarantee there will be an update on Monday like usual, and I don't know when I'll next be able to make that update. It shouldn't be for too long, because I need creative validation to live, but that's where I'm at. I'm sorry to leave you hanging at this part of the story!


	43. A style guide for Kings!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since I'm kind of going through some shit, I want to satisfy the urge to be creative without having to deal with all the emotional shit that goes into writing most chapters. So here's a style guide to Kings, because I think about this sort of thing!

Before I get into any details, it’s worth checking out [this article in the New Yorker about the costuming on _Succession_](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-and-off-the-avenue/lets-talk-about-the-clothes-on-succession), a show that absolutely 1000% nails how rich people dress and how the intricacies of class, power, and old money vs. new money play out through fashion.

Common folks like us tend to associate wealth with dressing fancy and wearing big name designers: Chanel, Gucci, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, anything that’s covered in logos and mentioned in rap lyrics. It’s what people buy as soon as they have money because they need to project that they are rich and powerful. Rich people, really rich people, who come from generations of stable wealth and whose money isn’t in danger of going anywhere soon, don’t do that. They have nothing to prove, so they dress like they aren’t trying to impress you, which is, of course, the ultimate power move. They wear luxury brands that poor people will likely be totally unfamiliar with because they don’t have logos and aren’t very flashy. Their clothes are still made from the finest, rarest materials available and cost shitloads of money, but do so without constantly reminding you of how expensive it is.

All that being said, let’s get into the fashion, shall we?

**DAVID**

Primary brand: [Ralph Lauren](https://www.lyst.com/designer/ralph-lauren/mens/), but Jack makes him wear [Tom Ford](https://www.lyst.com/designer/tom-ford/?product_type=Clothing)

Mr. humble farm boy is all about classic comfort and really doesn’t care too much about fashion, but that’s just not acceptable for a king, oh no. On his own, he’ll choose khakis and a pullover because he hates being fussy, but for events, he shuts up and just wears whatever Jack tells him to wear. As a leader, David is rather uniquely situated being young, bisexual, progressive, and extremely popular. He has a quality that no other monarch in this universe has: _hipness_. Jack is very aware of this, so the stuff he chooses for David reflects that, because it gives him a massive intimidation advantage against a bunch of stodgy boomers.

**JACK**

Primary brand: [Dolce & Gabbana](https://www.lyst.com/shop/mens-dolce-gabbana-clothing/)

Jack isn’t so much interested in flexing his power as he is declaring MOVE I’M GAY. He actually really enjoys fashion, and has always enjoyed fashion, but never got much of a chance to really revel in it when he was trying to convince the world he was straight. Now that he’s out & proud, he has a ton of fun wearing the colorful clothing he never got to. He’s still gonna remind you that he’s a prince, but he’s gonna do it *fabulously*.

**MICHELLE**

Michelle has the most dramatic style transformation on the show, so much so that he style falls into two periods

[PRE-DEFECTION](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/pre-defection-michelle/)

Primary brand: [Lela Rose](https://www.lyst.com/designer/lela-rose/)

Michelle is Silas’s golden child princess, so of course she’s gonna dress the role. Lots of dainty florals and circle skirts, with high necklines that cover her transplant scar. The girlishness of her dresses speak to the state of arrested development that she’s kept in: the virginal princess who can’t grow up.

[POST-DEFECTION](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/post-defection-michelle/)

Primary brand: [Alexander McQueen](https://www.lyst.com/shop/alexander-mcqueen-clothing/)

Michelle has grown into her sexuality, trained in combat medicine, and developed a new identity as a badass bulletproof queer rebel army medic. She’s still a princess, so she’s going to still be very feminine, but in a way that makes you slightly afraid of her.

**SILAS:**

Primary brand: custom tailoring

Silas learned all about how to dress like old money from Rose. However, he’s not old money, and as the king of an unstable country, he still very much needs to project wealth and power. He dresses in a way that’s classy and refined, but still leaves no question of who’s in charge. His suits are all tailored to highlight his large body and athletic build, even as it ages, and favor details like pinstriping that draws attention to him and keeps it there.

[ **ROSE:** ](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/rose/)

Primary brand: [Carolina Herrera](https://www.lyst.com/designer/carolina-herrera/?product_type=Clothing)

As a queen, she has a unique kind of power to project, one that is feminine and glamorous but still made of steel. Her clothing is beautiful and sumptuous but it is ARMOR.

[ **ABBY:** ](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/abby/)

Primary brand: [Armani](https://www.lyst.com/shop/armani-pant-suits/)

Abby LOVES a sharply-tailored suit, and never wears skirts. Casually, she goes for a preppy, androgynous J. Crew look, but when she’s at work, she’s all power lesbian. She sticks with colors and patterns adapted from menswear, but in a way that still shows femininity and looks good with a pair of stilettos.

[ **THOMASINA:** ](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/thomasina/)

Primary brand: [Akris Punto](https://www.lyst.com/designer/akris-punto/?product_type=Clothing)

Thomasina is paid *very well* so her clothes are all expensive and very nice and command respect, but at the same are totally inconspicuous and allow her to go about her job doing Silas’s dirty work without being noticed at all.

[ **JESSIE:** ](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/jessie/)

Primary brand: [Eileen Fisher](https://www.lyst.com/designer/eileen-fisher/?product_type=Clothing)

Jessie is the mother of seven boys and an old hippie who owns a farm in the Pacific Northwest. Comfy mom to the max, with a boho edge. Lots of flowy tunics, easy flats, draw-string pants, and chunky jewelry.

**[MONIQUE:](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/monique/) **

Primary brand: I made this MYSELF bitch! (also, [Moschino](https://www.lyst.com/shop/moschino-clothing/))

Monique is AN ARTIST, babey, she’s always going to look like a work of art. She firmly believes in the fun of fashion, and is always going to bring that to the table, even at government business meetings.

**WILLIAM and ANDREW:**

Primary brand: [Ermenegildo Zegna](https://www.lyst.com/designer/ermenegildo-zegna/?product_type=Clothing)

William is Mr. old money class. He’s not *tacky* like Silas. He dresses well, of course, but he’s showing off for nobody. Andrew has a slightly more youthful version of that, but for the most part he just copies his dad.

**[CHRISTINE:](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/christine/) **

Primary brand: [Dolce & Gabbana](https://www.lyst.com/shop/dolce-gabbana-clothing/)

Christine is old money, but she hates being old money (lol not the living in luxury part though). She believes there’s no point in being rich if you can’t have fun with it. She gets a new husband every few years and gleefully dresses in a way that’s totally inappropriate for her age.

[ **CHLOE:** ](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/chloe/)

Primary brands: [Miu Miu](https://www.lyst.com/designer/miu-miu/)

She just landed a rich husband and she is LOVING IT. Her fashion is playful and girlish because she doesn’t have to impress anyone and has lots of room to just have fun.

**OTHER COUNTRIES**

First, I have to get a little bit into the history of my Kings universe. My idea is that this history roughly follows that of American history, with the founding of the North at Plymouth and the South at Jamestown, but with two countries (Edom and Samaria) developing as absolute monarchies rather than as one country as a democracy. Gath (Canada) broke off as its own country (for a while I actually had Gath speaking French because the LOGICAL thing would be for Quebec to be its own country but I went back on it because I don’t want to just arbitrarily slap commie bad guy status on the Quebecois). Edom and Samaria began expanding westward and fought a brutal war over influence of the west with Edom coming out on top, and as a result, Ammon and Aram broke off as the Southwest and Midwest, with the northwest (Gilboa) remaining un-colonized. Gilboa began developing as its own country, but one led by a military without a king, so it was always heavily unstable and disorganized. At some point, Moab (Florida) broke off from Samaria and has struggled to maintain its sovereignty since then. Gath underwent a socialist revolution that put Premier Nicholas Achison in charge as NOT A KING, just a guy with absolute authority, while battling Gilboa over land and resources. Silas killed Achison, and was instituted as king of Gilboa, finally getting Gilboa recognized as a powerful and influential country and not some lawless wasteland. Meanwhile, Warner Judd and Vesper Abbadon led a Christian fascist revolution in Ammon and overthrew the king there. Abbadon tried to split Carmel (California) from Ammon, but Silas came in, overthrew and imprisoned Abbadon and claimed Carmel for Gilboa, and the territory has been disputed but officially Gilboa ever since. Then David happened. Anyway, because of all this, the power dynamics between all of these countries is kind of complicated, and it all plays out through fashion!

**[EDOM](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/edom/) (the north), ruled by the Merritt family:**

National color: red

National symbol: the anchor

Primary brands: [Loro Piana](https://www.lyst.com/designer/loro-piana/?product_type=Clothing) and [Brunello Cuccinelli](https://www.lyst.com/designer/brunello-cucinelli/?product_type=Clothing)

Edom is ostensibly the country on top of everything with the most power and influence that all the other countries aspire to be like. Their fashion takes cultural cues from the preppy WASPS of New England (think the Kennedys but less ethnic) while at the same time maintaining the “I don’t have to impress you” luxury vibe that old money carries.

**[SAMARIA](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/samaria/) (the south), ruled by the Fairweather family:**

National color: classic blue

National symbol: the magnolia

Primary brand: [St. John](https://www.lyst.com/designer/st-john/)

The war with Edom left a legacy of poverty that Samaria has struggled to overcome, so projecting glamor, class, and desirability is something that is very important to the Samarian royals. Their clothes are very colorful and tastefully flashy, with classic southern belle beauty queen vibes. They also inherited the British tradition of hat-wearing!

**[ARAM](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/aram/) (the Midwest), ruled by the Busko family:**

National color: sky blue

National symbol: the wheat sheath

Primary brand: [Kay Unger](https://www.lyst.com/search/?q=kay+unger&term=kay+unger&gender=Women)

Aram is smack in the middle of everything: middle of the continent, middle of the political power structure. They’re a peaceful country that tries its best to avoid conflict and to keep things functioning. They’re not as glam as the other countries, but they still pull their weight politically and are just nice folks!

 **[AMMON](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/ammon/) (the Southeast) ruled by the Judd family**:

National color: yellow

National symbol: the rattlesnake (formerly the sun)

Primary brand: [Xiaolizi Handmade](https://www.etsy.com/shop/xiaolizi)

The most dominant factor in fashion for Ammon is their strict modesty laws: women’s clothing must have sleeves, cover the chest, and skirts (no pants!) must reach below the knee. Beyond that, the Judds take great pride in being self-reliant, so the women make a lot of their own clothing. Because of Ammon’s cowboy heritage, they also wear a lot of flowy prairie dresses. For the men, a stubborn refusal to be fancy is its own projection of strength and masculinity.

 **[GATH](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/gath/) (Canada) ruled by The Worker’s Party of Gath (AKA the Achison-Shaw family)**:

National color: black

National symbol: no official symbol, but will use traditional symbols of socialism

No brand, but taking some notes from [this North Korean clothing catalogue](https://tongiltours.com/make-women-more-beautiful-inside-a-north-korean-fashion-magazine)

Luxury brands have no place in a “classless” society, so their clothes are cheap, conformist, and lagging behind somewhat in the fashion department.

**MOAB (Florida) ruled by[Laura Wall](https://www.pinterest.com/cwnerd12/laura/):**

National color: green

National symbol: the ibis

Primary brand: [Diane von Furstenberg](https://www.lyst.com/designer/diane-von-furstenberg/?product_type=Clothing)

Laura is in a very unique position that’s not unlike David’s. She never expected or even wanted to be made queen, but still finds herself precariously in charge of a turbulent nation. She wears a lot of pantsuits because she’s trying to take on a masculine role and be taken seriously doing so. At the same time, she still enjoys expressing herself through fashion, and uses her fashion and glamor to build pride in her nation. She wears a lot of flowy, drape-y, sexy gowns that are great for an evening gala on the beach.


	44. S5, E6: Thank You

**“Thank You”**

Mourners leave flowers, signs, and candles at a massive memorial outside the palace. Abner and Emma step out, followed by Rose and Michelle, and a team of aides and security guys. The onlookers stand in complete silence as Abner approaches the memorial and lays a wreath there. He stands back up, and confidently straightens his back, ready to make a speech.

One woman yells at him, “Why didn’t you do anything? You could have stopped this!” Abner gives her a filthy look as his security guys go after her and try to drag her away. Others in the crowd start to yell angry epithets and fight with the security guys. Abner watches the situation quickly dissolving before him.

Michelle leans in to speak to Rose, “I can’t be late for anatomy lab.”

Rose steps up to Abner, “Are you going to make your address?” Abner turns around and walks back into the palace. Rose follows him.

  * Inside, he turns into an elevator, and Rose gets in just as the door shuts.



Rose, “Something similar happened to Silas, once. The crowd tried to heckle him, he just said ‘enough’ and that was it, they went silent. He knew how to command a crowd.”

Abner, “I’m not Silas!”

Rose, “That much is obvious.” They stand in awkward silence for a moment, and then to door dings open. They both step out.

Before the go off in opposite directions, Abner turns to Rose, “I want to hold my coronation ball in two weeks.”

Rose, “What? No, it’s far too early for that.”

Abner, “I am desperate for anything that will make me look like a king right now.”

Rose, “It’s disrespectful to Silas to have it this soon.”

Abner, “I diligently served him for thirty years, no one respects Silas more than I do!”

Rose, “A normal palace ball takes months to plan, you can't just put one together in two weeks. A coronation ball is a national celebration of a new king. It will take three months alone just to get Emma's dress made.”

Abner, “If there are two people in the world who can put together a decent ball in two weeks, it’s you and Thomasina. I know what you’re capable of.”

Rose, “This really isn’t going to solve your image problem. If you want to be seen as a king, you have to act like a king, and do kingly things.”

Abner, muttering, “I have to kill Shepherd.”

Rose thinks for a long moment, and says, “If you announce today, we may be able to pull something off in a month. It may lack the full sparkle I could give it, but it will be impressive enough.”

Abner, looking relieved, “Thank you, Rose.”

Rose, “I’ll get started.”

  * Rose goes into her office, and speaks to the secretary, “Where is Thomasina? I need her today.”



Secretary, “She had to leave. There was some sort of personal matter she had to attend to.”

Rose, “Was something wrong?”

Secretary, “I don’t know, I just know that she left.”

  * Thomasina drives her teenage son, Miles, home from school, “I cannot believe you would embarrass me like that! You’re probably going to get expelled!”



Miles, “So I’ll go to a new school.”

Thomasina, “Expelled is the least of it! If you were anyone else’s son, you’d have been arrested!”

Miles, “Exactly, I was the one who did it because they’re gonna keep it quiet because nobody wants it getting out there that the palace director’s son is out there supporting the AFG.”

Thomasina, “If it gets out, I could have to make a public apology!”

Miles, “We were celebrating the defeat of a deadly terrorist. Maybe if the king you serve actually gave a fuck, we’d be celebrating him.”

Thomasina, “Don’t you dare talk to me like that! If I ever spoke to my mother like that-” Her phone rings.

Miles, still deeply sarcastic, “I wonder who that is.”

Thomasina answers her phone, “Yes, ma’am?”

Miles, “You aren’t supposed to talk on the phone and drive.”

Thomasina shoots him a filthy look, “I- I apologize, ma’am, I- I have a personal matter that I have to attend to,” a pause, “I- I’m sorry he what?” she sighs deeply, “Yes- yes, I understand. I’ll be right in.” She puts down the phone, and moves into the lane of traffic next to her, and makes a u-turn.

Miles, “Where are we going?”

Thomasina, “I have to go to work!”

  * In the bedroom he shares with Asher, David sleeps like a fucking baby.



The door opens and Asher enters, “David.” David doesn’t stir. Asher shakes his shoulder, and David groans.

Asher, “Hey, you okay?”

David rubs his eyes, “Wha?”

Asher, “You’re actually getting some sleep. It’s almost eleven.”

David, “Oh. Fuck.” He starts to get up.

Asher, “You trying anything new?”

David, “No.”

Asher, “Seriously? I haven’t seen you sleep that deeply in months.”

David gets up without saying anything, and starts getting dressed.

Asher, “Anyway, Shay wants to talk to you. We’ve got to decide what we’re gonna do next.”

David, “Yeah, okay.” He leaves the room.

  * David goes out into the main area of the safehouse, Asher following behind him. A memorial is set up for the AFG soldiers lost in the attack. Robert is one of them. A small crowd gathers to look at it and weep. In the middle stands Ryan, with his arm around Beth. Beside them are Shay and Joel David sees Ryan and Beth.



Asher, “Shay, Joel, come on!”

David, distracted, “Yeah, just hold on a second, I- I need to take care of something.”

He goes over to Ryan, “Ryan, can I, uh, talk to you?” Beth stares hard at the memorial.

Ryan, “Yeah, what?”

David, “I, um- I-I think you and uh Liam and Adam should maybe go to another safehouse.”

Ryan, “What, why?”

David, “Safety. I made Ethan and James go somewhere else.”

Ryan glances down at Beth, “You sure I can’t stay here?”

David, quickly, “Beth can go with you.” Beth still doesn’t look up.

Ryan, “U, no, she can’t, she runs this safehouse.”

David, “What?”

Ryan smiles a little bit, “I ended up here for a couple of weeks before going on to Nob. That’s how we met.”

David, “Oh.” Finally, Beth looks at David.

David looks down at his feet, “I um, I still think it’d be better of you guys were somewhere else. I want to spread everyone out.”

Shay, “You want me, Isaiah, and Joel to go somewhere else, too?”

David, annoyed, “Maybe, I dunno, I still need to think about things!”

Beth, quietly, “I think we can handle it, if it’s just for a little while.”

Ryan, disappointed, “Yeah, okay, I guess.”

David, “Good! Go tell Liam and Adam.”

Asher calls, “Come on!”

David, “I’ll talk to you later, then!” He hurries over to Asher, followed by Shay and Joel.

Asher, “What was that all about?”

David, “Safety!”

  * Rose talks to Thomasina in a drawing room, “How has the search for a new stylist gone?”



Thomasina, “We’re completing backgrounds checks right now, ma’am.”

Rose, “Good. I just want a simple black dress. God knows what Michelle is going to wear, probably something that’s going to make me angry. Emma should wear something vibrant, fit for a celebration.”

Thomasina jots that down, “Very well.”

Rose, “The decorations should be vibrant, as well. It needs to be clear that this is a celebration of Linus as king.” She gazes down at the floor plans of the ballroom, thinking for a moment, “And I want an appropriate memorial for Silas. Nothing too large. Tasteful. But we must remember whose legacy is being carried on.”

Thomasina, “Very good idea, ma’am.”

Rose looks at Thomasina for a moment, and then says, “I’m sorry for calling you away from your personal matter. I wouldn’t have done it if this wasn’t very important. Linus needs to be seen as a legitimate king.”

Thomasina, “I understand. It was a minor issue, anyway, none of your concern.”

Rose, “If you need to address it…”

Thomasina, “Really, it’s fine. I have it handled.”

Rose, “Good.” She looks out over the plans, thinks for a moment, and sighs, “This is going to take a lot of work. I’m afraid we’ve got a lot of late nights ahead of us.”

Thomasina, “Perhaps I can speak to the king, explain to him that this can’t be done logistically-”

Rose snaps, “Well, it has to get done!”

Thomasina looks at her, silent with shock.

Rose compasses herself, “I apologize. It’s just good God, if we can’t get people to believe in Linus as king, this country is going to fall apart.”

Thomasina, slightly hesitant, “I-I should confess- Miles got in trouble- well, he and some of his friends had something of an impromptu AFG rally in their school’s courtyard. The school administrators broke it up almost immediately, but I don’t know if anyone was able to record any of it. If footage of it should go online, I’m afraid someone might recognize Miles as my son. It could be an issue.”

Rose, “We’ll just have to make sure nothing gets online, then, won’t we?”

Thomasina, “Of course.”

Rose, “Where is Miles, now?”

Thomasina, “I sent him to work with the maintenance staff.”

Rose, “Good. Excellent. Hopefully he’ll learn from this.” She turns and looks down at the plans laid out on the table in front of her.

Thomasina looks at her watch, “They’ll be making the press announcement soon.”

Rose, “Yes, yes, I don’t need to see it.” She stares down hard at the plans and shoes her head, “This is a mess, this is all a goddamn mess…”

  * AFG leadership meeting.



Shay, “The palace announced that the day of the coronation ball, Abner is going to dedicate a big memorial to Silas in Kings Park. This looks like a perfect opportunity for the drone.”

Joel, “I’ve mapped out a number of potential routes for Abner to take from the palace to the park. We can set lookouts along all of them, tell us where he’s going.”

Isaiah, “I can’t drop on his limousine, it’s bomb-proof.”

Joel, “I know, but you can get him when he steps out of the limo. If you wanna do that, you still need to know what direction he’s coming from.”

Isaiah, “I can try. I’ve been doing my best to perfect this plan, but I can’t. We can still try it, but honestly, I think it’s a good idea to come up with a plan in case this thing doesn’t work.”

David, “We don’t need an extraction plan, not if the drone is controlled remotely.”

Isaiah, “I’m not talking about an extraction plan, I’m talking about a taking control of Shiloh plan. Like we tried planning back in Nob.”

David, “We saw what happened at Nob.”

Shay, “I kind of think he’s right, David. Taking over Shiloh was the first idea we had, and it’s the best idea we’ve had. It’s something we should have been trying to do all along.”

Joel, “We need to go for the palace.”

David, “We tried the palace, it didn’t work!”

Shay, “That was a stealth mission, not an all-out assault. We could do an assault.”

David, “There’s a ton of just regular people in the palace! No civilian deaths. I’ve always been clear about that.”

Joel, “The citizens of Shiloh are on our side, David. It’s gonna be easier now than it ever was before. Do you want to get rid of Abner or not? We need to make a drastic move, or else he’ll find us and take us out!”

David sighs heavily, “We’re going to try Isaiah’s bomb idea first. If that doesn’t work… We can do the takeover. But I want a plan before we do anything. A real, solid, detailed plan.”

Joel, “Can you imagine how the AFG flag will look flying from the roof of the palace? We can inspire the whole fuckin’ city to fight. A good, old-fashioned uprising, Red Army style.”

David, “Yeah, because the Soviet Union was such a beacon of peace and freedom.”

Abby, “We can still take a few notes from the Russian Revolution. We can force Abner to abdicate. He values his life.”

David sighs heavily, “Well, it’s a big, confusing plan that’s totally overwhelming and is going cause a lot of destruction and hurt a lot of people. Just like all of our plans. Fuck it. Let’s do it. But only if the drone plan doesn’t work.”

Isaiah, “I think I can make the drone work.”

David, “If anyone can make it work, you can, Isaiah.”

Asher, “Is this really how you want to start an uprising?”

David, “Probably not, but it’s honestly how I’m feeling right now.”

  * Michelle sits next to Jack on his bed. Helen sits in a chair next to them.



Michelle, “I’m supposed to be picking out a dress for Abner’s coronation ball.”

Helen, “So soon? I thought new kings were supposed to at least wait six months before their coronation balls.”

Michelle, “I’m pretty sure David killing Alek Amal has something to do with it,” she holds up three pictures of skimpy black dresses, “Which is the most inappropriate?”

Helen, “Number three.”

Michelle looks at the pictures, “That’s the one Jack chose, too. I think I’m gonna go with it.” Jack makes a soft noise of assent.

Helen, “How have the two of you been doing?”

Michelle, “Okay. Jack’s been vocalizing a lot more. He might get some actual words soon.” She smiles warmly at him.

Helen, “The palace seems to be such a strange place these days, announcing the early coronation ball is just adding to it. It’s like nobody’s really taking the time to acknowledge what losing Silas really means.”

Michelle looks at her, “It means we lost a man who never really gave a shit about anyone else. Why should anyone give a shit about him?”

Helen, “Rose lost her husband. Abner lost a good friend. You two lost your father.”

Michelle, “And what did you lose?”

Helen, “I lost the man I loved to a realization of what kind of man he really is. As angry as I am at Silas, I’ve learned to grieve for Seth’s father.”

Jack shuts his eyes and blows an angry snort through his nose.

Helen, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make you angry.”

Michelle quietly, “He’s angry because he can’t talk.”

Helen, “Do you really have no good memories of Silas?”

Michelle, “I do. But I can’t speak for Jack. And all my memories are warped by lies and the things I chose to ignore. I don’t really know if I can call them happy memories anymore.”

Helen, “You lost the father you loved.”

Michelle, “You’ve spent almost a year surrounded by psychiatrists. If I’m gonna grieve for anything these days, it’s gonna be for the fact that I can’t be with my girlfriend, okay? The same goes for Jack. He really misses David, and seeing footage of him fighting Alek Amal doesn’t help.”

Helen, “I’m sorry. But I know acknowledging what I lost with Silas has helped make grieving for Seth a little bit easier.”

Michelle, “You can talk to Rose about losing Silas. I’m done with him.”

Helen, “Are you calling him Silas again?”

Michelle, “I don’t know!”

  * In a private room, Asher talks to Abby and David.



Asher, “I was cleaning up a little bit, and I found this,” he holds up a torn condom wrapper.

David, “Looks like someone got lucky.”

Asher, “I’m not getting laid. Abby’s not getting laid. I suspect if I asked Shay, Joel, and Isaiah, they’d confirm that they aren’t getting laid.”

David, “You should ask them, maybe they are!” Asher gives David a look.

Abby steps up to David and looks him hard in the eye, “Daaaaavid?”

David, “What?”

Abby gives him the slap of his life.

David, “Ah, okay, I deserve that!”

Asher, “Did you sleep with someone?”

David, “I might have.”

Asher, “Who?”

David, “Beth!” Abby slaps him again.

David, “I deserve that one, too!”

Abby, “What the fuck, David!”

David, “I’m sorry.”

Abby, “If there is anyone here who should be shoulders-deep in pussy, it should be me, but I’m not, because I fucking love Michelle and I would never fucking do that to her! And I didn’t just publicly declare my love for her after she got shot in the fucking head!”

David, “Yeah, well, you didn’t just unwittingly get your brother killed and trigger the worst terrorist attack in the history of Gilboa, did you?”

Abby, “I am not going to lie for you! I am willing to do some pretty fucked up shit for you, but I am not going to lie! Not about this!”

Asher rubs his face, “This makes things really complicated for us, David.”

David, “I know! I fucking know!”

Asher, “Why would you even do this?”

David, “Because I’m a fucking idiot, and I haven’t seen, much less fucked Jack in over five months!”

Abby, dripping with sarcasm, “Ooooh, you haven’t seen Jack in a long time, that must be sooooo fucking difficult! I can’t imaaaagine how hard it must be to keep it in your fucking pants! Do you honestly think you’re the only one here who’s lonely and horny?!”

David, “I actually went to sleep last night and didn’t have a nightmare! I can’t remember the last time that happened!”

Asher, “You need to think about what you’re going to tell people if word of this gets out. And I’m with Abby, I’m not going to lie for you, either.”

David, “So what should I fucking tell people?”

Asher, “The truth.”

David, “What, just make a press conference, hey, I’m fucking weak, I cheated on the person I love, please support my rebellion?”

Asher, “This is what you’ll say only if the word gets out. I’m not gonna do anything to compromise the rebellion, neither is Abby. But secrets have a way of being uncovered, and you’re a shitty liar.”

David sighs heavily, “Shit.”

Abby, “What were you even thinking?”

David, “I wasn’t. I was lonely and horny, and I did something incredibly fucking stupid.”

Abby, “I’d like to scream at you right now, but I know that nothing I can say will be worse than the fact that you’re gonna have to be the one who tells Jack. That is, if he doesn’t hear about it on the news, first.” David doesn’t say anything, and blinks away tears.

Asher, “Acknowledge what you did, David. Don’t lie about it. Apologize for it, and then never fucking do it again.” They stand quietly for a moment, and Asher goes on, “Where are Ethan and James? You should be with them.”

David, “I sent them to another house.”

Asher, “Why?”

David, “Because seeing them makes this whole thing real!”

Asher, gently prodding, “Makes what real?”

David, “Robert! If Ethan and James are gone, then he’s just gone, too! If Ethan and James are there, but not Robert…. then he’s dead.” David sobs for a moment, but then struggles to regain his composure.

Asher, “You need to be able to mourn. You do really stupid shit when you bottle up all your feelings.”

David, “I can mourn when this war is over. In the meantime, I’ve got shit to do.” He leaves the room.

  * At sundown, Thomasina walks Miles towards her car in the upper levels of the palace parking garage. She unlocks the car, and they both get in.



Thomasina, starting the car, “We’ll pick up some fast food for dinner, but we’re getting what I want.”

Miles, “Fine.” Thomasina sits there, contemplative.

Miles looks at her, “We going?”

Thomasina, “You can’t do what you did today.”

Miles rolls his eyes, “Yeah, I know, treason and all…”

Thomasina, “It’s not that,” she looks at him, “You may think what you did was inconsequential, but you’re very wrong.”

Miles, “There was a bigger demonstration outside of the palace this afternoon!”

Thomasina, “Yes, but _you_ weren’t in it! You’re _my_ son! The palace cannot afford another embarrassment!”

Miles, “Handling embarrassments is what you do! It’s what you leave me alone at home to do.”

Thomasina, “Do you know how close this country is to a catastrophe?”

Miles, “You mean what happened with the Amalekites wasn’t a catastrophe?”

Thomasina, getting emotional, “I mean being utterly destroyed. Invaded by both Gath and Ammon and torn apart. Linus Abner is only able to be king because people believe in him, and right now, any loss of faith could mean Gilboa is done for. Actions have consequences.”

Miles, “Why are you serving someone you don’t believe in?”

Thomasina, “I serve my country, and I protect it. You should, too.”

Miles, “You and I want the same thing, Mom. Someone needs to defend this country, and King Linus ain’t it.”

Thomasina starts the car, “You can’t be foolish.” She backs out of the parking space, “Foolishness will get us all killed.”

  * Michelle enters Jack’s room, carrying two styrofoam boxes in a plastic bag, “Hey, hope you’re in the mood for pad Thai.” She goes to set up a bed table for him.



Jack, automatically, without thinking, “Thank you.”

Michelle looks at him, surprised, “Did you just say thank you?”

Jack grins at her, “Thank you.” Michelle smiles, laughs, and hugs him tightly, “I thought for sure your first word would be David.”

Jack, “David.”

Michelle, “Now you’re just showing off!” She sniffs loudly, holding him for a moment, and then goes back to setting up his dinner.

Michelle, “I really wish David could be here. He’d be so fucking proud of you right now.” She goes quiet, and sits down in a chair. She opens her box of food, and they both start eating.

  * Late at night, David pulls his pants on while Beth puts her top back on.



Beth glances over at David, “Ryan’s barely my boyfriend, you know.”

David looks at her, “What?”

Beth, “Just. In case you were worried about that.”

David, “Oh. Yeah.”

Beth nervously goes on, “I mean we met because he spent a few days in a safehouse I was running, outside of Nob. We kept this silly kind of long-distance relationship going because you know, distraction. I never considered it serious or anything.”

David, “Yeah, great to know.” He turns away and climbs back up the staircase. At the top of the stairs, David looks up and is shocked to see Joel waiting at the end of the hallway.

David, startled, "Uh, hi, what's up?”

Joel, “What’s up with you?”

David, “Nothing.”

Joel, “I heard your voice.”

David, “Yeeeaaaah….” He stands there, awkwardly.

Joel, “This why you moved Ryan and the others out?”

David, “That was for safety. So we all don’t get caught in a raid…”

Joel, “You need to be a lot more careful, man. This could be real bad for us if it gets out.”

David, “You need to keep this quiet.”

Joel claps him on the shoulder, “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

David, “Thank you.”


	45. S5, E7: Pursuit

**“Pursuit”**

Earliest morning light in Shiloh. David and Isaiah stand on the roof of a safehouse, next to the bomb-laden drone.

Isaiah, “The park is over there. It’ll only take about a minute and a half to get over there, and we’re likely to get spotted if we just hover around, so timing’s gonna be really important here. It’s like trying to thread a needle that keeps moving.”

David, “I have faith in you, man.”

  * Rose strolls through the palace ballroom, which is full of tables set up for a luncheon. She straightens place settings and napkins.



Michelle goes up to her, “Mom, do I seriously have to do the luncheon?”

Rose, “Of course you do. The Merritts, Fairweathers, Buskos, and Walls have all come in. We have to be seen. And you can’t say you have class because I know the university cancelled all of its classes today.”

Michelle, “Jack’s actually talking! He said ‘thank you’ and ‘David’ yesterday! I know you want to be with him, too!”

Rose, “He still has his usual therapy. Besides, Laura will be there. I know she wants to see you, and maybe you can even bring her to see Jack.”

Michelle, “It’s not about just spending the day. I don’t fucking want to be seen supporting Abner.”

Rose, “Neither do I, but you don’t hear me complaining.”

Michelle, “Oh, come on!”

Rose, “Suck it up, Michelle.”

  * Abner sits with Reinhardt and other advisors.



Reinhardt, “We’ve identified an AFG safehouse. If we keep it under surveillance, we can use it to find others.”

Abner, “No. I want it raided. Today, I want it made clear that I am determined to eradicate both Shepherd and the AFG. I want a big show made of the raid. I want a clear victory.”

Reinhardt, “Personally, I think it’d be better to-”

Abner, “I don’t give a fuck what you’d personally do, I’m telling you to do what I’d personally do. Raid the safehouse.”

Reinhardt, “Very well, sir.”

Abner, “I have a very full schedule today. A coronation ball is a time of celebration, and I expect to be able to truly celebrate.”

  * David walks into the command room, in another safehouse, where Shay and Joel have two screens set up, and a map laid out. One of the screens shows a news channel.



David, “Okay, Isaiah’s about as ready as he can be.”

Shay leans over the map, “We’re getting the lookouts into position. We’ve got this TV connected to the drone’s video feed. We’ll be able to watch everything once Isaiah takes us live.”

Joel, “After this thing goes off, is Isaiah gonna join us here, or stay where he is?”

David, “I think stay there. Kinda depends on what the police situation is like.”

Monique’s voice over the radio, “I’m in position. Shay, Isaiah, you there?”

Shay talks into the radio, “I hear you, Monique.”

  * In his control room, Isaiah talks into a headset, “Yeah, I hear you.”



· In the park in downtown Shiloh, Monique blends into the crowd, dressed like someone’s auntie.

She takes some photos with her phone and sends them, “I’m at the south side of the statue, facing north. There’s about a 15-foot gap between the stage and the crowd.”

· Isaiah examines the photos, “Wind’s coming out of the south, just our luck. I’ll try to get Abner right after he exits the limo, that’ll put him a good distance from the crowd.

Shay, “Then, let’s do this.”

· At the palace mall, Michelle leans sulkily against one of the limos.

Abner talks to Emma, “You don’t have to say anything today, just smile and look happy to be there.”

Emma, “I am happy to be there, Dad. I want to support you.”

Abner smiles warmly, surprised, “Oh. In which case, this should be a pleasant event for you.”

He turns and goes to an aide, “Begin the raid now. I want it over by lunch time.”

· Across from the palace gate, an AFG lookout watches. The gate opens, the motorcade begins to drive out.

Lookout, “Gates are open, they’re moving, turning east.”

o In his control room, Isaiah grins, “Let’s do this.”

o David watches the news TV screen in the control room, showing the other monarchs shaking hands with each other.

A reporter talks, “The other royal families have arrived. King Linus is expected to appear soon to unveil the new memorial to King Silas, first of a day full of events to honor his coronation.”

o On the rooftop, the drone buzzes to life, and hovers a few feet in the air.

o Another lookout, “Going north on Queen Street.”

o A helper, Erica, marks the map in Isaiah’s control room.

Isaiah eyes the map, and says, “Okay.”

o The drone rises higher into the air.

o The blank screen in David’s control room blinks on, showing a bird’s-eye view of the safehouse and surrounding buildings.

o Isaiah adjusts the view, aiming it at the horizon, “You see what I’m seeing?”

o David, “Gotcha.”

o Another lookout, “East on Warren Avenue.”

o Erica marks the map.

Isaiah, “Let’s get moving.”

o The various royals take their seats in the audience.

o The drone flies in the direction of the park.

o In his limousine Abner looks over his speech notes, “Today, as we celebrate a new beginning for Gilboa, we must remember that we still fight our old enemies.” The limo turns.

o A lookout, “South on Forest Drive.”

o Joel marks his map.

David sighs nervously, “Shit, this better work.”

o Another lookout, “East on Green Street.”

Erica, “We’re getting close.”

Isaiah presses a lever, and the drone speeds up.

o Another lookout, “North on Orchard Street.”

o Shay, “They’re going for the northern entrance, Monique, see if you can position yourself near there.”

o Monique casually strolls through the crowd of the park. She spots the royals. Laura looks over in her direction, and almost catches a glimpse of her.

o Isaiah takes a look at an aerial photo of the park, “If they enter here, they’ll probably park in the empty space here…. Which means I should release here. What’s the position?”

o Another lookout, “Still east on Orchard.”

o Isaiah, “Fuckin’ perfect. We might actually pull this off.”

o Abner’s driver, “We’re almost there, sir.”

The limo pulls into the park.

Monique, “I see them.”

o The limousine appears on the drone video feed.

o Shay, “We have a visual.”

o Isaiah, “Pray we don’t get a sudden breeze.”

o Abner climbs out of the limo, and waves to the crowd.

Monique, “He’s here.”

o Isaiah, “Getting into position.”

o The drone moves into the area above the statue, above a security guy. Emma gets out of the limo, and Abner offers her his arm. She smiles at takes it.

The drone hovers, humming above the security guy, who looks around curiously.

o David, “That’s his daughter! She’s gonna be with him, shit!”

Joel, “Our goal today is to take out Abner, that’s what we’re gonna do!”

David, “I said no civilian deaths.”

Joel, “She’s not a civilian!”

o Isaiah, “I’m in position, what do you want me to do?”

o Joel, “Take out Abner!”

o Abner and Emma walk and wave towards the platform. The security guy sees the done and grabs his gun.

o David, “Do it. Release the bomb.”

o Isaiah maneuvers the drone into the final position, and presses a button.

o The security guard shoots the drone out of the sky before the bomb can be released. People duck at the sudden gunshots, security men dive in front of royals, and the drone crashes noisily to the ground.

o David, “Did we get them?”

o Abner protectively spreads his arms out in front of Emma, “What the hell was that?!”

o David, “SHIT!”

o At the control center, Isaiah scrambles to turn off all the signals, “Well, we tried.”

o Michelle goes over to comfort a distraught-looking Emma as the other royals get hurried to their limos, “Are you all right?”

Abner turns around and yells, “Get the hell away from my daughter!” He grabs Emma by the shoulders and hurries her away.

o In the control room, Isaiah, “You guys want me to come there when I got everything shut down?”

David, “There’s gonna be checkpoints all over the city.”

Isaiah turns around to leave the room, “They still might trace me back here.”

David, “Do whatever you think is best.”

The control room door bursts open, and a police raid team enters and opens fire, shooting Isaiah and Erica dead.

o David hears the bang over his headset, “Isaiah?”

o Isaiah lies dead, David’s voice still coming over the headset, “Isaiah?”

o In the downstairs of the safehouse, other AFG soldiers hide behind furniture and shoot at the raid members.

One yells into a radio, “It’s a raid, we’ve been found!”

o Joel, “SHIT!” He frantically starts shutting down the communications networks.

o Abner hurries Emma back into the limo, “This is why you stay away from traitors like Michelle, she’ll be smiling while her friends try to kill you!”

o Shay, “Should we try to get out of here?”

David doesn’t respond, he just sinks into the couch behind him.

Shay, “David!”

He doesn’t say anything.

· Abner, Emma, Rose, and Michelle sit in the back of a limo, along with a couple of aides.

Abner still gives out orders, “Nothing gets canceled.”

Rose, “Don’t be absurd, Linus. No one will come to the luncheon.”

Abner, barking, “Nothing gets cancelled!” he looks at one of the aides, “Any word on the raid?”

Aide, “Director Reinhardt reports that it’s been completed with no losses on our side.”

Abner smiles incredulously, “See, Rose, we have reason to celebrate.”

The aide looks at their phone, “Reinhardt says that one of the dead is Isaiah Clemens.”

Michelle, “What?”

Aide, “It appears he was the one piloting the drone that dropped the bomb.”

Abner laughs, “All the more reason to celebrate!”

Michelle, “Oh my god.”

Abner, “Was he a friend of yours, Michelle?”

Michelle, “I’m not going to the fucking luncheon, or the ball, I have to go be with Jack so he doesn’t hear about this on the fucking news!”

Abner rolls his eyes, “You aren’t going anywhere.”

Rose quietly, “You can tell Jack over the phone.”

Michelle, “What, are you actually supporting this?!”

Abner, “You’d better get used to it. I’m going to find where the rest of your friends are and kill them all. If your father hadn’t had the wisdom to bring you and Jack back to the palace, you’d be among them.”

Michelle, “Shut up!”

  * Joel paces furiously while Shay cries quietly and David, Asher, and Abby sit in stunned silence.



Abby, “I hate to talk about this right now, but we have to say something.”

Shay, “Are we still in touch with his brother? We should be the ones to tell him.”

Joel, “I went and met with him, I’ll make the call.”

Abby, “Okay. What kind of statement do we want to make?”

Joel, “Isaiah was a fucking hero.”

Abby, “Right. We’ll definitely bring up the things he did for us. David, do you have anything you want to say?”

David sits quietly.

Abby, “David?”

David, “Amal was right.”

Abby, “What?”

David, “Amal said one of you would die for me.”

Shay, “David, we’re fighting a fucking war. We’re lucky to have made it this far.”

Joel, “We’re gonna burn this fucking city down.”

David, “Joel-”

Joel, “They took some of our fighters. They’re gonna use them to find out where we are. We have to strike back before they have the chance. There’s protests, people were already protesting the coronation ball, we can start a fucking riot.”

Asher, “So that’s our plan, now, just rioting?”

Joel, “What about the palace? We’ve been talking about taking it over. Why not now?”

David, “We need a solid plan. We had a solid plan when we sent the Queens into the palace. Plans don’t really mean a whole lot when they fall through.”

Shay, “Joel’s right, if we’re gonna strike, now’s the time to do it. We should do this while people are still angry.”

David, “Can you get everyone on alert?”

Shay looks at him, surprised, “Yeah. I can get everyone assembled.”

Asher, “This is fucking dangerous.”

David, “Now isn’t the time to be cautious.”

Joel, “We’re gonna make Abner feel what he’s done.”

Shay nods hesitantly, “Okay, I’ll get everyone on alert, but this is gonna be ugly.”

David looks down at Isaiah’s signature on his cast, “It’s always ugly. Even when we expect it to be easy, it’s fucking ugly,” he sighs deeply, “I’m just not sure that attacking the palace will work.”

Shay, “So what else are we gonna do?”

Joel, “The whole city is angry, David! The whole city is ready for a fight! We need to strike now!”

David, “More importantly, we have to strike in the right place. Maybe the palace is the right place. I just need time to think.”

Joel, “How much longer?!”

David, “Everything will come together at the right time and the right place. Just wait and see.”

  * In their middle-class home, Isaiah’s parents, Raymond and Jeanette, sit watching the news with two of their daughters, Isaiah’s younger sisters, Louisa and Jameiah.



A little ways off, his older sister, Angelica, talks on the phone, “Dad says he’s not going to identify the body. If Isaiah’s gonna have a funeral, we have to be the ones who make the arrangements and pay for it,” she pauses, “I did try talking to them. You know what Dad’s like. You can do it tomorrow,” pause, “Just get here soon, okay? Wait, what? Who? Are you serious? Oh my god, I can’t believe this, I-” she goes over to the front window and looks out. The headlights of a car shine, arriving home.

Angelica, “I’m not telling them, you are. I’m hanging up.” She ends the conversation. She goes over to her parents, “Micah’s home, and he says he’s bringing some people who want to talk to us.”

Raymond, “It better not be David Shepherd, because I’m gonna shoot him on sight.”

Angelica, “Don’t do that, Dad.”

Raymond, “Are you saying it is?”

Jameiah, bright and curious, “Seriously?”

Micah enters through the back entrance.

Raymond, “Micah, who the hell are you bringing to visit us?”

Micah hesitates to say something.

Jameiah, “Is it seriously David Shepherd?”

Raymond stands up, “I’m claiming that reward money!”

Micah, “Dad, please, stop. I know you’re angry about losing Isaiah-”

Raymond, “I lost him years ago, when he joined an immoral lost cause! I knew this was going to happen!”

Micah, “If Shepherd gets arrested, they’ll arrest me, too, because I passed Isaiah sensitive information about CrossGen. So unless you want to lose another son tonight, you’d better sit back down.”

Raymond shakes his head, “I knew you’d fallen for his lies.”

Jeanette, “Sit down, Raymond! Please!”

Raymond, “We could use that reward money!”

Jeanette, “It’s not worth it!”

Raymond looks from Jeanette to Micah, thinks for a long moment, and then sits, “Five minutes. You have exactly five minutes, and then I’m calling the authorities.”

Micah goes out to fetch David and the others. Jeanette wipes her eyes.

Louisa looks at the protesters on TV, “They’re all there for Isaiah, Dad. Because of what he believed in and died for.”

Raymond, “A traitor is a traitor.”

The back door opens, and Micah leads in David, Joel, and Shay. David holds Isaiah’s AFG jacket. The family gawks at them.

David steps forwards, awkwardly, “I wanted to bring this for you. It’s Isaiah’s. He wore it with pride. I thought you deserved to have it. I lost my own brother a few days ago, and… I wish I had something of his to give back to my mom.”

Raymond, “You have five minutes before I call the police.”

Angelica goes over and takes the jacket, “Thank you, General.”

David, “It’s David. Isaiah called me David,” he gestures back to Shay and Joel, “This is Joel Bronikov and Shay Mendoza.”

Raymond, “We know who they are.”

Joel steps forward, “We both considered Isaiah to be a brother. We were with him before David even came into the picture.”

Raymond, “Were you the ones who turned him into a radical?”

Joel, “No, Isaiah was firm in his beliefs all along.”

Jeanette, “Please, sit.”

Everyone sits down. David looks awkwardly at the TV. It shows the image of Isaiah diffusing the bomb.

David, “I’m the one who gave Isaiah the order to go into the mall without a safety suit. We both knew it was dangerous, but we knew what would happen if that bomb went off. I never hesitated or thought that Isaiah wouldn’t be able to do it.”

Shay sniffs and wipes her eyes, “He was good. And not just good as in good at what he did, but, he was a good person.”

Raymond, “None of this brings him back.”

David, “I know. Trust me, I- A long time ago I made this big speech about being made stronger from grief and pain- since then I’ve learned the hard way that’s not how it works. Loss just hurts and there’s nothing you can do but feel the hurt. I don’t feel right telling people that their brother or child died for the right cause when we have so little to show for it. The best I can possibly tell you is that Isaiah believed in it. He believed in the AFG. He believed in me more than I believe in me. He was an engineer- he knew the mechanics of warfare, the mathematics of it. If you take this, and subtract from it, what’s left? He saw the world like that. And in spite of everything we’ve lost, everything we’ve suffered through, everything that’s been subtracted from us, he still saw good at the end. And because of that, I still believe in what we’re fighting for, even if it’s really hard, sometimes. And I hope you can, too.”

Raymond, “What are you fighting for?”

David, “Something better. The vague hope that more families don’t have to go through all this.”

Raymond, “You just want to be king.”

David, “No, I really don’t. My life would be a lot easier now if I’d have just walked away.”

Joel, “I was with Isaiah when we saw David on TV, after King Silas said he’d been killed. We watched him rise from the fucking dead. We had this plan in place, this scary, ridiculous plan to break a whole bunch of people out of prison, but then, to do what? Why put ourselves and the people around us in danger if we didn’t know what to do? We saw David, and we knew. We knew it was time to fight, and we had to join him. At the same time, I was afraid that once we found David, we’d immediately see that we’d made a mistake, we’d found some greedy asshole who just wants the crown. We didn’t. I come from a politically radical past, I know what men driven by greed and senseless dogma are like, and David isn’t. David is just a person trying to do good. That’s stronger than any dogma I know.”

Jeanette weeps, “I haven’t seen or spoken to my son in over two years. And now he’s dead.”

Jameiah, “You never even tried to talk to him.”

Raymond, “Not now!”

David, “Just know that we’re grieving with you.”

Angelica, “Your kindness is greatly appreciated.”

David, “Thank you.”

Jameiah, “I want to join.”

David looks at her, “What?”

Jameiah, “I want to join the AFG.”

Raymond, “Absolutely not!”

David, “How old are you?”

Angelica, “Sixteen.”

Jameiah, “I’m old enough to know that I want to fight for what Isaiah fought for!”

David, “I appreciate that, but you have to be eighteen. I’m sorry.”

Shay, “As soon as you turn 18, you can be a Queen of Gilboa.”

Raymond, “I’ve lost one child, I am not losing another!” He stops, and tears are in his eyes. He wipes them away, shamefully.

David, “It’s been five minutes. We should be leaving.”

Jeanette, “Thank you for coming.”

Raymond gives her a harsh, shocked look.

David, “It’s the least I could do.”

· In their limo, Andrew looks nervously out at the protesters. Chloe sits beside him, and then beside her, is Christine, eyeing the riot police. Christine, deeply sarcastic, “A grateful nation joyously celebrates its new king.”

· Up in her dressing room, a stylist helps Rose put the finishing touches on her plain black evening dress.

Rose, “Everything is perfect, thank you, Rinaldo,” she turns to another aide, “Could you please bring Michelle?”

Aide, “Yes, ma’am.”

Rose sits down on a sofa, and watches the TV. Riot police still stands down the line of protesters. The screen changes to a reporter reporting from inside the ballroom, while in the background, palace staff scramble to put together last-minute touches. Rose watches it all apprehensively and sighs.

The door opens, and Michelle enters wearing a slinky low-cut black dress with long sleeves.

Rose looks at her, “Are you really wearing that?”

Michelle, “You said I have to cover up my tattoos.”

Rose sighs. She stands up and goes over to Michelle, “You understand the rules, right?”

Michelle, monotonously, “Act like I’m happy to be there. Don’t talk about David or the AFG. Don’t talk about Jack. Be a good girl and don’t cause any problems.”

Rose smiles, “Wonderful. I know you care about Gilboa, and Gilboa’s future depends on tonight going well.”

Michelle rolls her eyes.

Rose carries on, “You know, Paul Alan will be here tonight, you should speak to him.”

Michelle, “That doofus? I almost forgot he existed.”

Rose, “I still think he’d make a good boyfriend for you.”

Michelle, “Do not fucking match-make right now.”

Rose, “You should consider it. I don’t think Linus is going to show your girlfriend any mercy when he takes out the AFG.”

Michelle, “Do not fucking talk like that, I will start screaming in the middle of the fucking ballroom.”

Rose, “I’m not being cruel. I’m being realistic, Michelle. I know it looks like I’m trying to get you to marry and produce an heir, again, but I am looking out for you. I want you to be happy. I’ve been looking for a nice boyfriend for Jack, too.”

Michelle, “Stop it,” she pauses and thinks for a moment, “No matter what you do, you’ll never find someone like David for Jack. And you’ll never find someone like Abby for me. Do you honestly think you’d ever find someone like Dad again?”

Rose, “If there was someone like your father out there, he’d be king right now. The closest we have is Linus.”

  * David, Joel, and Shay are driven back to the safehouse in the back of an old van. Joel looks at his phone, at a video of the growing protests around the palace.



Joel leans in to David, “David, man, look at this.”

David looks at the image of the furious protesters around the palace.

Joel, “If we’re gonna make a big attack, we need to do it tonight.”

David, “Not yet.”

Joel, “What?”

David, “Even with everything on our side, we need to be careful. It looks like they’ve got every police officer in Shiloh and half the army around the palace. They’re expecting us to attack.”

Joel, “We cannot pass this opportunity up. If we don’t attack tonight, we might as well surrender.”

David, “I didn’t say do nothing. We have to wait until the time is right.”

Joel, “The time is fucking right!”

David, “Not yet.”

  * Abner’s coronation ball, an announcer speaks, “Presenting His Royal Majesty King Linus Abner of Gilboa, and his daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Emma.”



Abner and Emma walk arm-in-arm down the main staircase into the ballroom, and the crowd, dressed in their finest, applauds loudly. The other royal families applaud approvingly, the women wearing tiaras. King Lawrence beams proudly while Laura looks on, politely hiding her disdain. Reinhardt, dressed in a dapper tux, Lydia by his side, applauds.

Announcer, “Their royal highnesses, Queen Rose and Princess Michelle.”

Rose and Michelle are escorted down by soldiers.

At the bottom of the stairs, Paul greets Michelle, “Michelle! You look beautiful!”

Michelle, “Fuck off, Paul!”

She walks towards the booze table, but Laura quickly intercepts her, “Michelle!”

Michelle gratefully hugs Laura, “Oh my god, Laura!”

Laura, “I heard about Isaiah Clemens today. I am so sorry.”

Michelle casts a wary glance over at a security guy eyeing her, “I’d love to tell you about it, but I’ve got security hovering over me and if I say the wrong thing…” she shakes her head.

Laura, “What? What is Linus threatening you with?”

Michelle, “It’s not me. Maybe I can talk to you later, just not here.”

Laura puts her hands on Michelle’s shoulders, “You stay strong.”

Michelle, “Thanks. I’m gonna go see if I can get a view of the protests.”

Elsewhere, Lawrence talks to Abner, “It’s very brave of you to continue tonight.”

Abner, “A coronation ball is one of the most important events of a king’s reign. I’m not going to let a few protests spoil it.”

Laura approaches, “What the hell are you threatening Michelle with?”

Abner, “Laura. So glad to see you could make it.”

Laura, “Why is Michelle afraid to talk to me?”

Abner, “It’s a matter of state security.”

Laura, “Bullshit. If you were worried about state security what the hell is going on outside?”

Abner, “It’s all a matter of making sure sensitive information doesn’t make its way to David Shepherd. If you think you’re going to be able to snoop around and send him valuable intel, you’re mistaken!”

Laura, “Do you have a de-escalation plan for tonight’s protests?”

Abner, “I have everything under control!”

Laura, “Do you? Because I’ve handled protests and riots before, and what I drove through coming here didn’t look like it was being handled.”

  * On the balcony, Michelle tries to see the protests as best she can, but her view is obstructed.



Paul approaches behind her, “Michelle?”

She turns around, “I thought I told you to fuck off.”

Paul, “Being in the AFG really did a number on you, huh?”

Michelle ignores him and goes back to craning her head to see.

Paul, “What are you doing?”

Michelle, “Trying to get a view of the protests.”

Paul, “Oh. Well, I guess that’s your scene, isn’t it?”

Michelle, “The closest I’ve come to actually being in a protest is when Jack and I ran away to Gath and disguised ourselves as protesters. Everything else I’ve done has been direct action.”

Paul, “Oh. Okay.”

Michelle strains for a better view, “Shit.”

Paul, “It’s been quite a day, hasn’t it?”

Michelle gives him a disgusted look, “Today I had to tell my brother, who is hospitalized with a brain injury, that one of our good friends was killed by the man who is currently holding us hostage.”

Paul, “Oh.”

Michelle, continuing, “ _Then_ I had to tell him not to slam his head because he can do further damage to his brain, but he didn’t fucking listen to me because he can only say two words and has no other ways of expressing his anger, and he had to be restrained by nurses. Oh, and did I mention, I had to do that all over the fucking phone?”

Paul, “Whoo, yeah, that sounds rough.”

Michelle sniffs and rubs at her eyes, “God… Isaiah was a nice fucking person, too. He believed in what he was doing, what he died for. He was a really good person.” She leans her back against the balcony railing and sinks to the ground.

Paul goes over and sits by her. Awkwardly, he tries to put an arm around her shoulder.

Michelle, “Don’t even fucking try it. I have a girlfriend.”

Paul quickly withdraws his arm, “Oh. Sorry.”

Michelle, “Look, Paul, you’re a decent guy. Maybe if David had never come along, I’d have dated you.”

Paul, “Okay.”

Michelle, “I would have dated you, and it would have made your life fucking hell. Losing my friends like this is its own kind of hell, but it’s a hell that I’ve chosen, and I knew what I was getting into when I chose it. You have no idea what being royalty is like.”

Paul, “I’m not completely ignorant. I know you give up your privacy.”

Michelle, “Ffs. Privacy is the least of what you give up, okay? Do you like having friends? Do you like having any choice about the kind of life you’re gonna live, that your children are gonna live?”

Paul, “If being royalty is so horrible, why are you trying to make David Shepherd king? I’m assuming you like him. If you wouldn’t wish royalty on me, why would you wish royalty on him?”

Michelle, “David’s different.”

Paul, “How?”

Michelle, “David’s gonna be a different kind of king than my father.”

Paul, “How? Monarchy is monarchy. It’s still subject to the same rules about having an heir and all.”

Michelle, “David understands basic human fucking decency.”

Paul, “So you want to ruin his life by making him king?”

Michelle, “He fell in love with Jack. His life was already ruined. Might as well give him a crown.”

Paul, “That doesn’t really make any sense.”

Michelle, “If you’d fought with the AFG, you’d get it.”

Paul, “David sounds too perfect. He’s gotta be hiding something.”

Michelle, “He’s not perfect. He can be a real dumbass, sometimes.”

Paul, “I never really saw the appeal.”

Michelle, “Well, that’s too bad for you, then. David saved me from the Amalekites, and he saved me from a life of being a meek, wordless princess. He saved me from a life of being married to you.”

Paul gets up, “I’m going back inside.”

Sudden BANGS from the protests. Michelle gets to her feet and cranes to see. White plumes of smoke rise into the sky.

Paul, “What was that?”

Michelle, “Tear gas!”

A security guy comes up to her, “You need to go inside!”

Paul hurries away. Michelle stands without moving. The security guy begins to push her towards the door. She doesn’t resist, but keeps staring in the direction of the protests.

  * In front of the palace, protesters run away from the plumes of tear gas, while others in gas masks continue to hurl rocks at the police.



  * A block away, a limousine tries to make its way to the palace, but it’s assaulted by rioters. The driver, panicked, tries to drive forward, but a huge rock crashes down on the windshield, shattering it. The driver gets out of the limo, hands up in surrender.



Rioters beat the limo with sticks and bats, shattering windows. With a mighty heave, they turn the limo over. Someone sticks a match into the gas tank, and it explodes with a brilliant orange flame. Rioters cheer and raise their fists in triumph as the limo burns.

  * At the ball, Reinhardt goes up to Abner, “Sir, rioters are attacking limousines. It may be impossible to get the guests out of the palace safely tonight.”



Abner, “I’m not going to be the one to tell the other kings they can’t go back to their hotel. Do whatever it takes to suppress this riot.”

Reinhardt, “The rioters are already angry, and there’s a lot of them. Violence from our side could just be throwing gasoline on a fire.”

Abner, “Are you fucking telling me you can’t do your job?”

Reinhardt, “No, sir, I’m merely stating cause and effect. I don’t know if you want your coronation ball to be synonymous with a massacre.”

Abner, “It will be synonymous with me demonstrating my power and authority. End this riot, and make sure my guests get home safely.”

Reinhardt, “Very well, sir.”

  * Outside the palace, riot police stand in a firm line. Reinhardt watches from a window, and speaks into a mouthpiece, “King Linus has approved deadly force. Fire when ready.”



The police draw their guns.

A captain, “This is your final warning- we have been authorized to use deadly force!”

The crowd doesn’t move.

The captain gives an order, “Fire!”

They fire into the crowd, rioters fall dead.

  * In the safehouse, David watches the TV intently, Shay and Joel on either side of him. They watch as police fire on the protesters.



Joel looks at David, “We have to do something.”

David looks at him, “I have an idea. We’re gonna take over this city, and we’re gonna do it right fucking now."


	46. S5, 8: Leverage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting a little early because this is one of my favorite chapters and I just know you all are gonna fucking love it! AND I have a fashion folder for this episode! https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1nQNiRCHIPu0xW8DC5CtjXnwaTpKUoYvt 
> 
> It's for what the women are wearing because the men are all wearing tuxes, and while there's major differences in terms of materials and quality, when you're just looking at pictures, they're all the exact same fucking thing.

**“Leverage”**

Rose announces to the gathered ball guests, “Unfortunately, due to a change in circumstances outside, the palace has been forced to go into lockdown.”

The guests furiously talk amongst themselves. Christine and Chloe look on in dismay as Andrew gets out his phone. Laura casts Steven an “I told you so” look, and Steven grins at her.

Rose, “I ask you all not to be alarmed. Right now, the army is doing everything is can to restore peace.”

In the crowd, King Lawrence mutters to Kings John and Anthony, “Gilboa. They can’t have a single event where something doesn’t blow up. Right now I wouldn’t be surprised if Alek Amal came swinging in on the chandelier.”

Anthony, nervously, “So, does this mean we can’t leave?”

Rose, “We’ve come here tonight to celebrate Gilboa’s new king, and it’s still early in the evening. There’s still plenty of celebrating to do. Please carry on as before, and I will keep you updated if any changes occur.”

A security guy approaches the kings, “Your Majesties, unfortunately, we have to ask you and your family members to move to a safe location.”

  * Outside of the door leading to the palace mall, Reinhardt talks to Lydia, “I’m sorry, but Abner’s ordered me to go to the office.”



Lydia, “Can’t you just do the job from here?”

Reinhardt, “Unfortunately, if I’m gonna put this rioting down, I’m gonna need every advantage I can get.” Lydia looks up at him, clearly worried.

Reinhardt puts his hands on her arms, trying to comfort her, “Hey, don’t worry about me. Everything is concentrated around the palace. I’ll be fine.” Lydia smiles a little bit, encouraged. Reinhardt leans and kisses her dramatically.

Lydia shudders, sighs and then hugs him as tightly as she can, “Just be careful, alright?”

Reinhardt, “I’ll be careful. I promise.” He smiles at her, turns, and walks away.

  * Once outside, Reinhardt marches outside and gets into black SUV waiting for him.



Driver, “Sir, all the exits from the palace are blocked, how am I supposed to get you anywhere?”

Reinhardt, “This car is made from reinforced bomb-proof steel. Its path is only blocked if you’re a pussy. Let me drive.”

The driver gets out and Reinhardt gets into the driver’s seat. The gates of the mall open. Reinhardt slams the gas and plows into a group of rioters, clearing his path.

  * In a hallway, Michelle argues with her security, “If there’s rioting, there’s going to be wounded people, I need to be out there!”



Security, “I have strict orders to keep you in a secure location!”

Michelle, “Fuck your strict orders! I’m a medic!”

A door in the hallway opens and Andrew comes hurrying up.

The security guard spots Andrew, and raises a hand to stop him while trying to hold on to Michelle with the other, “Sir, I can’t let you near the princess!”

Michelle, “Unless you have a medical emergency, get out of here, you fucking weasel!”

Andrew, “You need to see to Chloe.”

Michelle stops struggling, “What? Is she okay?”

The door opens again, and Chloe enters, “Andrew?”

Andrew, “This situation is very stressful, and as Chloe’s condition is very delicate, I want you to supervise her!”

Chloe, “Oh my god, Andrew, stop embarrassing me! I’m fine! Michelle should see people with like _actual_ emergencies!”

The door opens again, and another security guy leads Emma into the hallway.

Emma, “What is going on? Am I seriously in danger right now?” Confused and trying not to panic, she looks over at Michelle, “Michelle? What’s happening?!”

Michelle sighs and goes over to her, “Look it’s not a big deal. This is just a precautionary measure to keep us safe.”

Emma, “Not a big deal is what my dad said about me being taken hostage! Are we seriously not safe here?!”

Michelle takes Emma’s arm, “Your dad’s a douche. Let’s just get upstairs, everything will be fine.”

Andrew, “Chloe and I are going with you!”

Michelle, annoyed, “fine!”

  * The visiting royals are all crowded into a room upstairs.



Rose talks to them, “I am so incredibly sorry that we’ve reached this point, but I trust you’re all well enough acquainted with security procedure to know that this is precaution above all else.”

Anthony, “How long are we going to be up here?”

Laura, “A while.”

Rose shoots her a furious look, but then quickly puts on her patient smile, “Linus is doing everything he can to resolve the situation.”

Laura, “Resolve? He responded to a peaceful protest with police in armored vehicles and full riot gear! He’s asking for a riot!”

Lawrence steps over to her, “Laura, please, we’re all feeling stressed at this moment.”

Laura, “The last time you dealt with a riot was 1972, and ten people died!”

Lawrence gives her a look.

Laura turns back to Rose, “Linus could make an appeal for peace. After all, a coronation ball is a joyous occasion for national unity. Unfortunately, one has to be a respected leader for that to work. I’m afraid if Linus tried it, he’d just make things worse.”

Anthony, trying not to panic, “Are we going to be here all night?!”

Laura, “We could be here for days!”

Rose snaps, “For god’s sake, Laura!” She catches herself a takes a moment to regain her composure, “Now is not the time to panic. The palace has plenty of guest rooms if you would like more comfortable accommodations.”

Lawrence, “Rose.”

Rose, “Yes?”

Lawrence, gravely, “When I watched Silas become king, I never would have imagined I'd see his country insulted like this.”

Rose’s already tight smile tightens into a grimace, “Hopefully, we can all return to the ball soon.”

  * Rose storms out of the crowded room. She rips her tiara off and walks down the hallway, furious.



Christine waits at the end of the hallway. Rose looks up and sees her.

Christine, “You look like you could use a smoke.”

  * Out on a balcony, Rose light a cigarette and inhales deeply, as if trying to smoke it all at once.



Christine holds her cigarette casually and watches, “It really was a lovely ball, before the unfortunate happened.”

Rose, “It still is!”

Christine raises an eyebrow.

Rose, “I just need to compose myself, and I’m going to go back into the ballroom, and I’m going to mingle with the guests, and be a gracious hostess, and this evening will be fine!”

Christine, “You know your security won’t let you do that.”

Rose strains against her emotion, trying not to cry and ruin her makeup. Finally, she takes a deep breath and begins to regain her composure. She inhales deeply on her cigarette again and then blow is out in an uneasy huff. She looks out at the skyline of the city her husband built, and hears the sound of gunfire and screams

She looks back at Christine, bewildered and hurt, “I keep asking myself, is this really Silas’s legacy?”

Christine, “There’s still hope, Rose. As long as Gilboa stands, there’s always hope.”

  * AFG members get ready for a fight: they put their jackets on, load guns, await orders. David looks down at his injured hand.



Shay talks to him, “Abner’s forces have already been dealing with protesters all day, and rioters all night. Most are stationed around the place, and the rest are scattered throughout the city. They’re already spread thin, and by now they’re exhausted, with no reinforcements.”

David, “It’s still the most secure building in Shiloh.”

Joel, “This is our one opportunity, David. Either we do it tonight or give up entirely.”

David looks at Shay, “Do you think we can do it?”

Shay thinks for a moment, and then nods, “Yeah. I do I have a strategy. It won’t be easy, but no battle is easy. We can do this.”

David nods, “Let’s do it, then.”

  * Outside the MSS building, a steely line of riot police and soldiers stand guard while a safe distance across the street, a large crowd of angry protesters shout and wave signs. A bottle smashes against one of the policemen’s riot shield, but the line stands firm.



  * In the situation room of the MSS building, Reinhardt talks on his phone to Abner, “I arrived just fine, sir, there’s been some rioting around HQ but I have men on it right now.”



Abner, in the situation room of the palace, two generals, Harel and Baird, behind him, “Excellent, I want you to maintain pressure on the rioters around the palace, see if we can start getting guests out safely.”

Reinhardt, “Will do, sir. It may require a little patience, but I'll get it done.”

He hangs up, and then turns to an officer in charge, “Keep everything going, and inform me of any changes.”

Officer, “Yes, sir.” Reinhardt exits the situation room.

  * Upstairs, he enters his office. He goes over to the window, and stares out at the city for a moment. He looks down at his phone, and then types out a message to Lydia, “Got here safe. Everything is going well. I’m fine.” He sends it. His phone’s wallpaper is a picture of Lydia and Matthew. Reinhardt puts it back in his pocket.



  * In an empty street, AFG fighters begin to pile out of the back of vans, fully armed and ready to fight.



Adam talks to Ryan and Liam, “You guys ready?”

Liam, “Fuck yeah.” He sniffs loudly, rubs is nose, and jumps excitedly.

Ryan, “I’m never ready. I just fight.”

Joel goes up to them, and Adam sees him, “What’s up?”

Joel, “I want you guys to stay with me. When Shay launches the attack, they’re immediately going to start firing on the protesters, and we need to fire at them to draw them away long enough to give everyone a chance to run away, got that?”

Liam and Ryan nod nervously.

Adam, “Yeah.”

Joel, “Good. Once the way is cleared, Shay’s unit will cover us, and then another will come in from the right flank. We’re gonna take the building.”

Liam, “We shoulda done this shit when Silas was still alive, man!”

  * In the palace ballroom, the band still plays. Guests mingle and chat, a few glance nervously at their phones.



  * In the residence, Michelle and Emma sit staring at the TV, showing an interview with Abner on the screen. Chloe stuffs her face with oreos while Andrew paces and looks at his phone.



He glances up at the TV and mutters, “They’re still showing this bullshit propaganda interview. The situation can't be too bad.”

Emma, “Don’t call it bullshit. It was a really big deal for my dad.”

Andrew rolls his eyes.

  * With the royals, there’s a pile of tiaras on the table. Quentin and Mark’s girlfriends, Miranda and Carrie, giggle and try on a few while Iris, Denise, and Ashley snap group selfies. Thomasina enters, and everyone looks at her hopefully.



Thomasina, “The situation outside out the palace seems to be improving. You may be able to return to the ball soon.”

Anthony, “See, Laura, your dire predictions didn’t come true.”

Laura scoffs, “It’s not going to get better.”

  * Christine sits on a chair on the balcony, bare feet sticking out from beneath the hem of her dress, heels in a pile beside her. Rose still stands on the edge, looking out nervously over the city while Christine rubs her feet.



Christine, “Sit down. Your feet have to be killing you.”

Rose, “No, I’m fine. I can tolerate a little pain. I’m not weak.”

Christine gazes at her sadly, and keeps rubbing her feet.

  * Joel and his unit creep along the edge of a building. He speaks into his headset, “We’re in position.”



o In a dark room behind a bank of windows, Shay holds a rocket launcher in her lap. She speaks into her headset, “I’m ready. Give the word, David.”

o David sits on a sofa in the safehouse. Abner’s muted interview shows on the TV. Beth nervously watches it from over David’s shoulder.

David, “Go.”

o ([“Fine” Mike Shinoda](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=603cHaieDcY)) Shay stands up, aims the rocket launcher, and launches a rocket through the window at the front door of the MSS building.

o Joel and his unit immediately jump into action, firing at the remaining soldiers as protesters run for cover.

o Reinhardt looks out his window, sees the AFG soldiers swarming below, and yells, “SHIT!” He immediately starts sprinting for the situation room.

o Shay and her unit run down the stairs of the building across the street, and then burst through its front door, firing at the remaining soldiers and police trying to defend the MSS building.

o In the palace situation room, Abner hears Reinhardt’s voice over the radio, “We need reinforcements at HQ, NOW!”

Abner, “What?”

Reinhardt, “There’s been an explosion at the front door, we are under attack!”

General Harel, “I’ll deploy what we have.”

o On the balcony, Christine stands up at the sound of the explosion. She looks at Rose, “Is something going on?”

Rose, “It’s the MSS building. They’re not attacking the palace, they’re attacking the MSS building.”

o Joel leads his unit through the broken and crooked front door, Shay and her unit close behind them. Inside, Gilboan soldiers run for the stairwells. Joel goes up to the security desk and grabs the speaker, “The Army of Free Gilboa is hereby taking control of this building!”

o In the sitting room with the monarchs, the TV screen switches from the interview with Abner to a news anchor, “The Gilboan News Service is receiving word of an explosion and gunfire outside of the Ministry of State Security headquarters.”

Laura, “I told you.”

o In the situation room, Reinhardt gives orders to a security guy, “We need to start wiping servers before they can get to them, I want every man you have on it!”

Security guy replies, “Yes sir,” and goes off.

Reinhardt gives orders into an army radio, “Hold them off at the stairwells until reinforcements get here! Whatever happens, they can’t make it to the upper floors!”

o In a room filled with computers full of top-secret information, terrified workers scramble to wipe the servers amid the roar of gunfire. Out on the adjoining stairwell, soldiers valiantly try to hold off the AFG.

o Outside the building, Armored police cars rush up to the forces outside the buildings, but are met with fierce resistance from the AFG. Another rocket launcher takes out one of the vehicles.

A terrified aide, “Sir, they’re coming to the upper floors, what are we going to do?”

Reinhardt, “They’re not interested in you, they’re here for me. If you have to, surrender, they won’t bother with you. You're just a secretary, you don't know anything.”

Aide: “Sir, you know that's not true, I have access to-”

Reinhardt, with more force, “You’re just a secretary, you don't know anything. Say it back to me.”

The aide catches on, “I'm just a secretary, I don't know anything.”

Reinhardt, “There you go. You're going to be fine.”

o At the palace, Harel, “We’ve tried sending in reinforcements with trucks, but the defenses around the building are thick, and nothing is getting through.”

Abner, “Send in reinforcements by air, then! We aren’t going to let them win!”

o On the balcony, Rose and Christine watch as a black helicopter swoops over them.

o Gilboan soldiers engage in a fierce firefight with AFG forces.

Downstairs, Shay leads a unit up the stairwell, “We’re coming up the western stairwell, keep them firing at you guys on the east, we’ll get them from behind.”

Joel, fighting next to Ryan from the stairwell, “Copy.”

Shay and her unit reach the door of the western stairwell, and begin firing at the soldiers fighting with Joel’s unit.

The lead Gilboan officer yells, “Retreat! Go to the next floor, we’ll hold them off there!”

Soldiers immediately run up to the next flight of stairs. AFG soldiers rush after them, fanning out into the hallway. They burst into the room full of computers, and the workers there all stop what they were doing and hold their hands up in surrender.

o News cameras do their best to capture the fighting outside of the building.

o In the ballroom, ever guest stares at a phone, gaping at the image of battle.

Lydia begs Thomasina, “You don't understand, I’m Lydia Reinhardt, my husband is Caesar Reinhardt, I need to know if he's safe!”

Thomasina, “I will report to you when there is something to report. Until then, you’ll have to wait like the rest of us.”

o Above the city, the helicopter flies toward the MSS building.

o In the situation room, Abner and his generals watch a video feed from the inside of the helicopter.

A soldier speaks over the TV, “We’re approaching the building now.”

o Up in his office, Reinhardt hears the approaching helicopter and heads to his window, “It’s about fucking time!” The helicopter nears the building.

o Joel, “What the fuck is that?”

Shay, “They’re sending in reinforcements!”

o David, “We have that covered. Take it down.”

o From the roof of the building across the street, a unit with a mortar launcher first at the helicopter. The mortar lands, knocking the helicopter off course with a spectacular explosion.

o In the safe room, the monarchs watch the explosion. Anthony, “Holy shit!” A tiny smirk spears across Laura’s lips.

o Abner and his generals watch the helicopter feed go blank.

o On their place on the balcony, Rose and Christine watch as the helicopter falls from the sky and crashes to the ground.

o In the MSS building, the Gilboans retreat up another flight of stairs, the AFG close in after them.

o In his office, Reinhardt screams into his radio, “We can’t hold them, they’re almost to the top floor! We need reinforcements, now!”

o Abner, “Send in more helicopters.”

Harel, “They’ll just pick us off again.”

Abner, “Not if we send in five at once! Send in ten!”

Harel, calmly, “We don’t have that many.”

Abner, “What?!”

Harel, “There’s a deficit on the front. We don’t have enough troops to defend the lines at Gath and Ammon and secure the city at the same time. Almost all of what who we do have are around the palace, the rest are at the MSS building.”

Abner, furiously, “We have helicopters! How many are within Shiloh?!”

Harel, “Two, sir. Two.”

o Shay leads her unit up a staircase. Joel leads Ryan and Adam up another staircase. They move to go into the 12th floor hallway, but are met with gunfire.

o Reinhardt screams into his radio, “If we don’t get reinforcements NOW, they’re going to take the building!”

o With the monarchs, Lawrence says, “You know, after a few years, I thought that Silas had really built something, that this iteration of Gilboa might actually last.”

o In the situation room, Abner listens. Calmly, he says, “Send in a drone strike.”

Harel, “Sir?”

Abner, “A drone strike, they’re not going to take that building.”

Harel, “There are still Gilboan troops in there, including Director Reinhardt!”

Abner, “We can’t let the AFG take that building, what’s in there is far too valuable! If they get control of that building, they get control of Gilboan state security! I’m not going to let them win!”

Harel just stares at him.

Abner, “I gave you an order, general!”

Harel, carefully, “You will be killing your own men, and Shepherd isn’t even there.”

Abner, “I’ll get Shepherd later! Order the strike!”

o In her stairwell, Shay and her unit keep fighting ferociously, “They’ve re-grouped, they’re holding us off, we can’t get at them!”

o Joel, “Shit, if we can get a grenade in there, we can finish them off.” He glances from the incoming fire over to Ryan and Adam.

o In the situation room, Abner and Harel stare at each other. Suddenly, Abner snarls like a trapped animal, “OBLITERATE THEM!”

Harel, “I won’t do that, sir.”

o Joel yells at Ryan, “Ryan! You need to run out there and throw a grenade at them!”

Adam, “What?!”

Joel, “We have to break them up!”

Adam, “No!”

Ryan, “I’ll do it.”

o Abner, “Your execution will be TELEVISED! You are refusing direct orders from your KING!”

Harel, “I won’t kill my own men.”

Abner frantically points to the guard soldiers at the door, “Take him away!” He turns to another general, “Baird! You’re in charge! Order the strike!”

Baird looks from Harel to Abner.

o With the monarchs, Lawrence, “Gilboa was born in blood and chaos. It will die that way, too.”

o Abner, “ORDER IT!”

Baird, “I won’t, sir.”

o Ryan leaps into the line of fire and lobs the grenade at the remaining Gilboan troops. He is riddled with bullets and falls over, dead. The grenade goes off.

Reinhardt watches the explosion from his office door, and immediately turns to go grab a gun.

Shay runs up the smoking hallway and turns into Reinhardt’s office. He spins around and tries to shoot at her, but she shoots his wrist, causing him to drop his gun. Shay runs up to him, pins him down, and holds a gun to his head, “What’s up, Caesar?! Tonight really isn’t your night, is it?”

o In the situation room, Abner screams into his radio, “Reinhardt! What’s the situation? Reinhardt?! Director!”

o Joel and Shay march up on to the roof of the building. They go over to the edge, and see the crowd cheering below. Joel reaches into his jacket, and pulls out a large AFG flag. He and Shay spread it out between them and wave it triumphantly. The crowd roars victoriously.

o In a palace bathroom, Lydia sits on a toilet, watching the scene on her phone and sobbing, makeup running down her face.

  * In the safe house, David watches the flag fly with utter astonishment. Abby comes over and sits beside him. She looks at him, still amazed, “We did it.”



David, numbly, “Yeah. We did it.”

Asher paces and looks at his phone, “I’m already looking at a lot of CheckIns.”

David, “It’s too early to start making any kind of casualty estimates.”

Asher, “I know, but what I’m seeing right now looks very good.”

David, “There’s no way we got through that without losses. Don’t start celebrating yet.”

In a darkened area away from the others, Beth nervously checks her phone. On the CheckIn app, Liam and Adam are listed as safe, while Ryan is unknown.

  * In the MSS building, a medic bandages Reinhardt’s wrist while other AFG soldiers hold guns up around him.



In the hallway, Adam sits by Ryan’s body, eyes wide with numbness and shock. His phone is in his hand. He steels himself, takes a deep breath, and calls up Ryan’s name. He lists Ryan as dead.

  * Back in the safehouse, Beth looks at her phone. On CheckIn, Ryan’s status changes from “unknown” to “dead.” Beth stares in disbelief and confusion. Her chest starts to heave.



Over the sofa, Abby talks to David, “Should we make our way there?”

David, “Looks like there’s still fighting outside. We need to wait.”

Beth, sounding panicked, “David?!”

He looks over at her, “What?”

Beth catches herself, “I-” she pauses for a moment, brain scrambling. She calms down a little bit, almost shrinking, and says softly, “I think you should go.”

David senses that something is up, but keeps his outward composure, “When it’s safe.”

· In the residence, Michelle kneels in front of the TV, hands over her mouth, laughing with delight, tears in her eyes. On the screen is the AFG flag flying over the MSS building. Emma sits in a chair, looking very concerned. Chloe watches the TV, enthralled and entertained.

Andrew looks in in utter contempt, snarling, “He’s not even there!”

Chloe, “Who?”

Andrew, “Shepherd!”

Michelle, “Of course he’s not there! He injured his hand fighting Amal! You’re in the news business, you should know that!”

Andrew, “He’s not there, but he’s going to take all the glory!”

Michelle, “You wish you were him, don’t you?"

Emma, “Can you not talk about this right now?!” She gets up and goes over to a window, wiping at her eyes, “And turn the TV off.”

Chloe takes the TV remote and turns the TV off.

  * In the ballroom, guests sit and lie around on gathered chairs and slumps against walls. Shoes, jewelry, jackets, and ties have been taken off. The food is gone, and exhausted staff members work to hand out bottled water. Phone charges are low. The phones that still have power show the news.



  * The monarchs watch the news on TV. Anthony has his jacket off and bowtie untied. John’s tie is slightly loosened. Lawrence and Laura are both still in pristine order. A reporter reports, “Even with the AFG claiming to have successfully captured the MSS building, fighting around the building shows no sign of letting up.”



Anthony, “Jee _zus_.”

  * In the damaged MSS lobby, Joel and Shay show the captive MSS officers and surrendered soldiers to David. Asher and Abby hand around in the background.



Joel, “This is all leverage. Without its officer corps, the MSS is useless.”

Shay, “We’ve also captured a lot of arms and ammunition. We should set up an HQ here. There’s room for quarters, and even a cafeteria. With what we have here, we can take over the whole fucking city.”

David, “I know, that’s why I wanted to capture it in the first place,” he looks at the captives, “Where’s Reinhardt?”

Joel, “He’s locked up in his office. Thought it was better to keep him away from the others. Stop him from conspiring. Because if you were locked up with us, of course we’d be finding a way to get out.”

David, “Smart thinking. I wanna talk to him. Maybe he’ll answer some questions.”

  * Going up the damaged staircases, David asks, “How many of our people were killed tonight?”



Asher looks down at his phone, “Six, so far.”

Shay, “Way better than I honestly thought it would be.”

Asher, “There’s still eleven who haven’t checked in.”

Shay, “I gave orders to send the critically wounded to the nearest hospital and say they were civilians injured in the riots. I think that should account for them.”

The reach the top floor, and enter the hallway. David sees a large pool of blood where Ryan was killed.

He stops are stares at it, “Who was killed here?”

Joel, “Ryan Hitt.”

David stops, “Ryan?”

Joel, “He made it possible for us to get to Reinhardt.”

David nods numbly, and then mutters, “Shit.” He shakes his head, “Come on, let’s keep going.” He heads off towards Reinhardt’s office.

  * Reinhardt sits, his arm bandaged and in a sling, the other one handcuffed to the sofa in his office. David enters, Reinhardt looks at him.



Reinhardt, grimly, “General.”

David, “Director.” He sits down at Reinhardt’s desk, and makes a big show of looking it over. He looks up at Reinhardt, and then at Reinhardt’s sling. He smirks, “Matching hand injuries, nice. I’ll sign your cast if you sign mine.”

Reinhardt, “If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly are you planning on doing with me now that I’m your captive?”

David, “I’m showing you mercy, is that not enough?”

Reinhardt, “Bullshit. You’re using me for leverage.”

David, “The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”

Reinhardt, “Y’know you could’ve had a nice fuckin’ life in the service of King Silas, and now look at what you’ve gone and made of it.”

David, “Yeah, I could have. I think about the life I could have had a lot, actually.”

Reinhardt, “And what do you imagine?”

David, “Settling down with a nice girl, having kids, living in a nice home, and trying to ignore the fact that I’m in love with someone else, and all my luxuries come at the cost of brutality and blood.”

Reinhardt, “Still going on with your moral righteous bullshit, aren’t you? I thought after all the shit you’ve pulled, you’d have given up on that by now.”

David, “If you’re asking whether or not I regret not being like you, I don’t. There is something that I wonder about, though.”

Reinhardt, “What?”

David, “Do you ever think to yourself that you could have been me?”

Reinhardt, “Why the fuck would I want to be you? You don’t even want to be you.”

David, “You have a fair point, but right now you’re handcuffed to a sofa on my orders.”

Reinhardt rolls his eyes, “So, are you going to interrogate me, or what?”

David sits down at Reinhardt’s desk. He looks over the office imperially, “The spy you sent to poison me. You had to have known Jack would recognize aconite. Why didn’t you tell her to try something else?”

Reinhardt, “Maybe I was stupid. Maybe I wanted to scare you without actually killing you.”

David, “Where you the one who turned Doug against me?”

Reinhardt, “I’m the one who sent him to you, but he already hated you. I had nothing to do with that.”

David, “Why did you let Silas believe that I was the one behind the Amalekites? You could have saved a lot of lives.”

Reinhardt, “I like my fuckin’ job, okay? I’m not gonna disobey orders and lose it. Besides, Frank Hatch tried to talk Silas out of it, and you saw what happened to him.”

David, “What does Abner know about the AFG?”

Reinhardt, “We found the location of one safehouse, and thought we could use it to find more safehouses, but you’ve kind of cut us off there, haven’t you? I know what you’re getting at here, and the answer is yes, you really do have us bent over and fucked right now.”

David doesn’t say anything for a moment. Quietly, he says, “How is Jack doing?”

Reinhardt, “Jack? I don’t know, I haven’t been to see him.”

David, “Is he awake?”

Reinhardt, “Yeah, he’s awake. That’s all I know.”

A look of intense relief and pain washes over David’s face. He shuts his eyes and lowers his head.

Reinhardt, “Jesus, are you going to cry? Please do not embarrass the both of us by crying right now.”

David, “You know, when we had dinner, and you said that I did my hero bullshit because I wanted to separate myself from my brothers, you were right. I liked being known as David, and not just the youngest Shepherd boy. But that wore off really fast. For a long time, I fantasized about being this beloved king, the man who freed Gilboa, and now I don’t know what the hell that means. Now, my fantasies are more along the lines of…” he drifts off, thinking for a moment, and the smiles faintly, “I make a nice dinner for Jack. We spend the evening watching TV together, and he falls asleep, curled up on my shoulder. That’s what I want.”

Reinhardt gives David a look of _bitch, really?_ , “Yeah, good luck with that. You gonna make a trophy out of me, or what?”

  * With the monarchs, Anthony is passed out asleep in his position on the couch. John dozes lightly. Lawrence sits in a chair, fighting to stay awake. Laura still stands, sharp and awake. On the TV, a picture of David, Shay, Joel, Asher and Abby, posing with Reinhardt and proof of his capture. Laura sees it and smiles.



She turns to an aide and says, “Please get Thomasina Bright. Tell her I’d like to speak with King Linus.”

  * Thomasina leads Laura, still in her tiara and evening gown, down a hallway towards the situation room.



The two guards posted outside the door stop her, “I can’t let you in, ma’am.”

Thomasina, “I’m the one who put you on guard here. Let me in.”

· In the situation room, Abner watches a news feed of the AFG flag flying over the MSS building.

He says to his remaining officers, “I am not surrendering. I am not going to surrender!”

Thomasina and Laura enter.

Abner turns and sees them, “She’s not allowed in here!”

Laura, “May I speak with you, Linus?”

Abner, “You’re on Shepherd’s side! I’m not going to listen to you!”

Thomasina, “Sir, you currently have nearly two thousand guests stuck in the ballroom with nowhere to go, nowhere to sleep, and not enough food. You also have four royal families who need to be evacuated out of here safely in the morning. You need to listen to Queen Laura’s advice.”

Abner, “You just want me to surrender.”

Laura, “I want to get out of here. Also, as someone who cares about other people, I think it would be best if you could end tonight with the least amount of bloodshed possible. I’m in direct contact with David. I can call him and tell him that you’re willing to negotiate.”

Abner, “I am not negotiating with him!”

Laura, “It’s better than waiting for him to attack the palace. Offer to let him see Jack.”

Abner, “No. That’s too big. I give Jack to him, and I have absolutely nothing to stop him from taking over. Nothing. I need to stop him.”

Laura, “Well, I’ve told you the best thing you can do. Whether or not you do it is your decision.”

Abner, “Thomasina, please escort Queen Laura out of here.”

Thomasina stands there.

Abner, “Remove her!”

Thomasina, “Please, your majesty, consider what is truly best for this country.” She turns around and leads Laura away.

Abner watches them leave. After the door closes, he thinks for a long moment, and then turns to his officers, “Where is Emma?”

Security guide, “I believe she’s in the Queen’s residence, sir.”

Abner, “I need to talk to her.”

  * Rose sits in the residence, wearing a fabulous and comfortable set of lounge pajamas, drinking tea. Emma sits on the sofa beside her, wearing pajamas and anxiously watching the TV. Abner enters.



Emma jumps up to greet him, “Dad!” She hugs him tightly.

Abner, “I want you to go to bed, honey, you shouldn’t be up worrying about me.”

Emma, “I’ve been so scared!”

Abner, “I know, sweetie, but please, go to bed.”

Emma, “What are you going to do?”

Abner, “I don’t know. I still need to make that decision, but I can make it better if I know that you’re getting your rest.”

Emma sighs and hugs Abner again, “Okay.”

Abner, “Goodnight.”

Emma, “Night. I love you.”

Abner, “I love you, too.” Emma exits.

Rose sips her tea and says, “Shepherd has Reinhardt.”

Abner, “Yes, I know. You should also go to bed.”

Rose looks at him, “Andrew and Chloe are in my room. Christine is in Jack’s room. Where we’re going to put all those guests in the ballroom, I don’t know. I don’t think the kitchens have enough food to make them all breakfast.”

Abner, “What would Silas be doing in this situation?”

Rose, “I don’t know. He was never in this situation.”

Abner sits down on the sofa across from Rose, “I should have known Shepherd would do this. He didn’t go for my throat, he cut me off at the knees.”

Rose, "He does that.”

Abner, "I can't let him win! I can’t betray Silas like that! Shepherd _can’t_ be king!”

Rose, "Silas is dead, Linus. Don’t go using him as an excuse.”

Abner, “So what do I do?”

Rose, “We need to get our guests out of here.”

  * Laura and Thomasina sit in the sitting room, both looking tired. The door opens and Abner appears. They both look at him.



Abner, “Tell Shepherd I will call my troops off of the MSS building if he makes a call for peace and the rioting ends. After that, I want to speak to Director Reinhardt.”

  * David stands on the MSS building roof, the AFG flag waving beside him, the sun rising in the background. Abby holds up a phone as David speaks, “Good morning. King Linus and I have reached an agreement. His forces and AFG forces will stop fighting if the rioting and protest around the palace end, and coronation ball guests are allowed to leave safely. It’s what’s needed, for now. Later this morning, King Linus and I will negotiate our next steps. Please, if you are out in the city, go home.”



  * Beleaguered guests wait in line to get in their limos home. Some pick up snacks and bottles of water that have been laid out on folding tables.



One guest says to another, “That was the worst night of my life.”

Lydia talks to a security guy, “I need to talk to King Linus!”

Security guy, “I can’t do that.”

Lydia, “I am Lydia Reinhardt! The AFG has my husband held captive!”

Security, “At this time, I can’t confirm or deny-”

Lydia, “It’s on the fucking news, you imbecile! Where is King Linus?!”

  * On the palace helipad, the Merritts climb into their waiting helicopter, the women’s evening dresses and hair blowing in the morning wind. As Lawrence gets into the helicopter last, he turns and gives Abner a filthy look. Abner waves and smiles, Emma beside him. The helicopter takes off.



Emma squeezes Abner’s arm, “Are you okay, Dad?”

Abner sighs, “I’ll figure it out.”

  * Jack sits in his bed in his hospital room, smiling and watching the news on TV. The door opens, and Michelle comes bounding in. Jack reaches out for her, and they hug tightly, Michelle laughing and crying.



Jack, “David!”

Michelle, “I know, I know!”

  * Reinhardt sits at his desk, still in last night’s disheveled tux, handcuffed to his chair. There’s a phone on his desk. David, Abby, Asher, Shay, and Joel all watch him. Reinhardt speaks into the phone, which is on speaker, “Hello, your majesty, this is Director Reinhardt.”



Abner, “I’m not going to negotiate, but I’ll offer a deal. This will be the only offer I give.” Reinhardt looks at David, and David nods.

Reinhardt, “What is it?”

Abner takes a deep breath, “I will agree to Royal Council with Shepherd at the table. Any negotiating that needs be done will be done there. We will settle once and for all who is the rightful king of Gilboa.”

David looks at Asher and Abby.

Asher, “This is a chance to settle things peacefully.”

Abby, “We’d be bound to what you agree to. It’s gonna be hard to get a bunch of kings from long royal lines to side with a rebel over a chosen successor.”

Joel, “We can fight. We can take the city, take the palace if we have to.”

David thinks for a very long moment. He looks down at the names on his cast, James, Isaiah, Ryan.

David, “I’ll agree to Council, if it means no fighting and no attacks until then.”

Reinhardt, “Do you hear that, your majesty?”

Abner, “Yes, I do. and I will agree to it, also. So I will see you at Council, Shepherd. Until then, goodbye.”

Reinhardt looks up at David, “Are you going to let me go?”

David, “Oh, fuck no. Your release will be negotiated at Council.”

Reinhardt, “So are you just going to keep me locked in my office until then?”

David, “Pretty much. But it won’t be so bad. I’m gonna have someone bring a cot in here. I’ll sleep in it, you’ll sleep on the sofa. We’ll be roomies.”

Reinhardt, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll try to kill you?”

David, “You can’t, not with one wrist injured at the other handcuffed to something.” Reinhardt rolls his eyes.

David turns and looks at the others, “Who wants breakfast? I know the cafeteria serves breakfast food, they’ve got to have something tasty in there, and enough for everyone. I’m starving.” He heads towards the door, “Have someone bring up something for Reinhardt too.” He opens the door and exits, everyone following him.

As they go down the hallway Joel asks, “Are you sure Royal Council is the right choice? We can still keep fighting.”

David, “I’m fucking tired of fighting,” he turns down a stairwell, “I don’t want to sacrifice anyone else.”

At the end of the hallway, Adam sits on the ground, staring at the pool of blood where Ryan was killed. He raises his eyes as David walks past, and then returns his gaze to the blood.


	47. S5, E9: I'll Be Okay

**“I’ll Be Okay”**

David walks into a cavernous file storage room. Asher, Abby, Joel, Shay, and Monique sit on the ground, papers strewn around them reading files.

David, “What is this?”

Asher, “Fuckin' files, man. We found our files. You don’t have a file, you have a box.”

David sits down, Asher slides a box over to him. David opens it and thumbs through the folders in there, “Who else has a file here?”

Joel, “Everyone. Seriously, look at this room. There’s a file for everyone the MSS has ever dealt with.”

Abby reads from the file in her hands, “Franklin Hatch, Jr. Known pseudonyms: Frankie, Frank, Jr. They forgot to include ‘Dumbass.’”

David, “I like Frankie.”

Abby, “Okay, but seriously, if you yell, ‘Hey, dumbass!’ Frankie will turn around and say, ‘What?’”

Shay, “I can’t believe this. Shay Mendoza: confirmed homosexual. I’m trying to overthrow the king, and _that’s_ what’s important about me.”

Joel, “Seriously? For you, that’s like saying, ‘Asher Levinson, confirmed Jew.’”

David flips through his file, “Oh, I got a confirmed homosexual, too.”

Monique, “Me, too. Apparently trans and bi people don’t exist.”

David, “We’re unicorns. No wonder they can’t catch us.”

Abby, “Aw, I didn’t get one, I’m sad. Especially considering the number of times I’ve banged the princess.”

Joel, “Jack didn’t get one, either. You’re only a confirmed homosexual if it’s convenient for you to be one.”

David, “Where’s Jack’s file?”

Asher, “It doesn’t say anything about his condition. Sorry.”

David stands up and begins to go down the aisle, looking intensely at the shelves.

Asher, “What’re you looking for, David?”

David, “I don’t know if they’re going to have his file, but I’m looking for a guy named Ivan Waters.”

Asher, “Who?”

Shay, “That’s Wednesday’s dad.”

Asher, “The filing system here is kind of complicated, but I can find him. Why are you looking for him in particular?”

David, “Wednesday doesn’t know what happened to him, just that he didn’t come home from work one day. Jesus- if we can start giving answers to families who are missing someone…” his voice trails off for a moment, “We need to start making these files public. We have to figure out a way to give them to the people who want them.”

Asher, “There’s a lot of missing people in here.”

David, “We can set up some tables. Get a bunch of our soldiers working them. People come up, request a file, and we send someone back to find it, and then we give it to them.”

Shay, “We can do it, but it’s gonna be a fuckin’ mess.”

David, “Then let it be a fuckin’ mess! Silas built his kingdom on secrets, and now we’re gonna tear it down!”

  * Early morning, Monique steps out of the MSS building, and sees a line of people already wrapping around the block, with reporters and TV cameras there, too. She thinks for a long moment, and then has an idea and walks off.



  * Inside the lobby of the MSS building, AFG members work to set up a line of folding tables with laptops and chairs, ready to search databases and distribute files. They sit at the tables with helpers standing behind them. James and Ethan both help set up computers. Beth helps set up a refreshment table with coffee and snacks.



Adam goes up to her, “Beth?”

She looks up at him, and then quickly looks away, saying nervously, “Oh, hi.”

Adam, “How- how are you doing?”

Beth, “As well as I can, I guess. Been trying to keep busy. Helping out.”

Adam, “Oh. Good. It’s- it's been rough for me."

Beth, “Yeah, I- I mean of course it's rough, I mean..." she drifts off.

Up at the front, Abby enters, with David following her. David greats James and Ethan while Abby goes to the center of the lobby.

David, “Thanks for being here, guys.”

Ethan and James, “No problem.”

Abby speaks up, “We’re going to open the doors, but before we do, I just want to remind you all, some of these people have been wondering what happened to their loved one for over twenty years. They’re going to be emotional, and you need to be sensitive to that.”

David steps up, “Today’s gonna be a long day, and it’s probably gonna be emotionally hard, but it’s really important that we do this.” He looks around and sees Beth and Adam. Beth smiles at him.

David looks away, “Okay, so, open the doors, let’s get going.”

Someone opens the doors, and people start to file in. David turns to leave. Beth’s face falls.

She quickly turns to Adam, “I’m going to talk to David real quick. I’ll be right back!” She hurries off. When she nears David, she says, "David!" and reaches out and touches his arm. He turns around and then pulls away from her.

Beth, “I was hoping to see you."

David, rushed and nervous, "Not right now, we're pretty busy."

Beth, “Can we talk later, maybe? I- I really want to talk to you."

David, “Maybe, but not now."

Beth, “Okay, well-”

David interrupts her, “I've gotta go.” He hurries away, and Beth watches him leave.

Slowly, Adam approaches Beth, “So… you've been talking with David?”

Beth, “Oh, yeah. I- I’ve been talking to him about Ryan.”

Adam, “When?”

Beth, “What?”

Adam, “It’s just that David’s been here and you’ve been at the safe house…”

Beth, quickly, “Oh, we talk on the phone. I guess we got to know each other petty well being cooped up in the same house for a while. He’s a nice guy. You should talk to him.”

Adam, “Yeah, I should.”

  * In an operating room, a surgeon performs Jack's cranioplasty. In the adjoining observation room, Michelle and Dr. Hussein watch.



Michelle, “You know, for a little while, I was really jealous of Jack because he was there while David got an emergency laparotomy in the middle of the woods. But I think I’ve one-upped him, now. I’ve seen his brain.”

Dr. Hussein laughs, “I’m suddenly very glad my sister is a teacher.” They both laugh. Michelle tensely watches the surgeons as they screw everything in place.

Michelle, “So you’re sure, two weeks for everything to heal, and then he’s leaving the hospital, right?”

Dr. Hussein, “As long as no complications develop. I can’t 100% guarantee they won’t, of course, but everything’s gone perfectly so far.”

Michelle nods, “Good. I know Jack's ready to start the intensive part of his rehab. All the following orders and pushing your physical limits, it's almost like being in the army again. I’m actually pretty glad he’s gonna be at the rehab center instead of at home-”

Dr. Hussein interrupts, “You mean the palace?”

Michelle, “Yeah.”

Dr. Hussein, “Queen Rose told me that she was bringing Jack home.”

Michelle, “What? No. You told me yourself, Jack needs to go to the rehab center for the best possible outcome.”

Dr. Hussein, “Yes, I explained all that to Queen Rose, but she said that Jack would be returning home.”

Michelle, “Why?”

Dr. Hussein, “She said something about security issues.”

Michelle mutters, “God _damn_ it,” she sighs furiously, “This wasn’t my mom’s decision, it’s Abner’s!”

  * Monique returns to the MSS building, which has an even longer line wrapping around it, carrying two plastic bags stuffed with cans of paint and paintbrushes. She leaves them by the front door, and goes inside.



She sees David overseeing the delivery of a file and goes up to him, “David, come with me for a second, I have an idea.”

David, “We’re pretty busy here, can it wait?”

Monique, “Nope. Get Abby, Shay, and Asher here, as well.”

  * At the front of the building, Monique, hands David, Shay, Abby, and Asher cans of paint and a paintbrush.



Monique, “Every single person in that line lost someone they love. We’re going to deface this building with their names.”

David, “What?”

Monique takes off the lid of a can, dips a paintbrush into it, goes over to the wall, and paints ISAIAH CLEMENS, “We’re making a memorial to everyone we’ve lost. David, you can put your dad and brothers.”

Asher, “Monique, this is brilliant.” He goes over to the wall and paints out LEO AND NORA LEVINSON, with a star of David next to it.

Shay goes over and paints RODRIGO MENDOZA.

Abby looks down at her can, “I don’t know if I want to add my dad to this.”

Monique, “Then give your can to someone else.”

David, “Are you sure this is a good idea? What if people start painting on the names of people _we’ve_ killed?”

Monique, “Then it’ll be a memorial to them, too. You want to convince people you should be king, right? Then why not show them a thousand reasons why Abner shouldn’t be king? Besides, we don’t kill civilians, right?”

David nods uneasily, “Okay.”

  * Before long, clusters of people fill the wall with names. Reporters talk to people and TV cameras film it all. People take selfies by the names they’ve painted, eyes full of tears.



Inside, Liam approaches Adam, "Adam, bro, have you seen what’s going on outside?”

Adam, “No.”

Liam, “People are painting names on the front walls as some kind of memorial. Where’s Beth? She needs to paint Ryan’s name!”

Adam, “I think she-”

Beth emerges at the end of the hallway, and Liam runs over to her, “Beth! Hey, BETH!”

Beth, “What?”

Liam, “You need to put Ryan’s name on the wall.”

Beth, “What wall?”

Liam, “They’re painting names on the front of everyone’s who’s died. You need to do Ryan.”

Beth is taken aback, and stammers he reply, “I- I, I really shouldn’t do that, I-” she looks nervously from Adam to Liam, “You guys were much closer to him than I ever was.”

Adam, “He really loved you.”

Beth, “Look, I met Ryan when he ended up in the safehouse outside of Nob that I was running. We had some fun, and then the raid on Nob happened, and Ryan had to leave, and I went to another house, and we’d talk on the phone, but that was kind of it. Not much of a romance, really.”

Ryan, “He talked to you every day.”

Beth, “Yeah, we did, and I mean, I- I did have feelings for him.”

Ryan, “Did?”

Beth, “I still do, I just… You guys are the ones who were with him.” She shrugs awkwardly.

Ryan, “Yeah, okay, well, come with us when we do it, anyway.”

Beth, reluctant but resigned, “Okay.”

  * Out in the lobby, Monique talks to James and Ethan, “Where the fuck is David? He’s not answering my texts.”



Ethan, “He texted me a little while ago, says he needs to space.”

Monique, “Well there’s about a hundred TV cameras out there all waiting to see David paint a name on a wall.”

James, “We’ll get him out, it might just take a little while.” Monique annoyed, looks around. Adam, Liam, and Beth enter.

Monique sees them, “Adam!”

He looks at her, “Yeah?”

She goes over to him, “Have you seen David?”

Adam, “No.”

Monique, “Can you help me find him?”

Adam, “We were going to put Ryan’s name up.”

Monique, I need to find David.”

Beth, “I’ll help you look,” she glances at Adam and Ryan, “You can wait a few minutes, right?”

  * Beth walks down an empty hallway, looking at office doors. She comes to one door that’s slightly ajar, and sees David sitting on the desk inside, deep in thought.



Beth, “David?”

He looks up at her, “Oh, hi.”

Beth, “Monique is looking for you.”

David, “Yeah, I know.”

Beth, “It’s about the wall.”

David, “Yeah, I know.”

Beth, “Do you not want to do it?”

David, “I do, it’s a great idea, I just…” he sighs deeply, “I don’t want to do it in front of a bunch of cameras.”

Beth sits down on the desk next to him, “I’ll be there. Adam wants to put Ryan’s name up, and he wants me to be there.”

David, “I’ll do it, I just need a few minutes.”

  * Outside at the wall, a bunch of cameras watch as David, Ethan, and James paint JOHN SHEPHERD, ELI SHEPHERD, and ROBERT SHEPHERD on the wall. A way off, Adam and Beth stand next to where RYAN HITT is painted. They both watch David paint.



Adam shifts uneasily from foot to foot, bites at his lower lip, and sighs.

Beth, “You okay?” Cameras flash and David walks away.

Adam watches intensely.

Beth, “Adam?”

Adam, “What?” he snaps at her, broken out of his concentration.

Beth, “You okay?”

Adam, “Yeah, I- I guess.”

Beth, “I’m gonna go back inside.”

Adam, “Wait.”

Beth looks at him, “What?”

Adam looks down at the ground, “I…. I, um…” he shuts his eyes tight, “I just… I-I have some questions. About how Ryan died.”

Beth, “Why are you asking me about this? You were there. I wasn’t.”

Adam, “I just… I dunno, I…. I can’t shake this feeling that maybe, somehow, it wasn’t necessary.”

Beth, “Adam, that’s just your grief talking.”

Adam, “I know! I know, I know! I know I miss him, and I know this is hard, and that he was a soldier, and soldiers die in battle, but…” he sighs deeply, “Ryan… Ryan got sent out to throw a grenade, and I- I just don’t think he had to. We could have taken the top floor without it. It would have taken longer, but we could have done it.”

Beth, “Take it up with whoever sent him out.”

Adam, “It was Joel.”

Beth, “So talk to him.”

Adam, softly, “I don’t think he’d tell me the truth.”

Beth, “The truth? The truth about what?”

Adam stares at Beth, thinking for a long moment. Finally, he murmurs, “I don’t know.”

Beth, warily, “Adam, you’re traumatized and exhausted. I think we all just need to pray that David gets made king at Council, and we can finally stop fighting.”

Adam stares at her, eyes full of doubt.

Beth, softly, “I’m gonna go back inside. Maybe you can talk to Liam about it.” She turns around and walks toward the front door.

Suddenly, Adam calls, “David really loves Jack, you know.”

Beth looks back at him, startled, “What?”

Adam, “Jack. Whatever decision David makes, it’s all going to come down to Jack.”

Beth, unsettled, “Jack is brain dead.”

Adam, “How do you know?”

Beth, “Because how can he not be? David has to know this!”

Adam, “Are you sure?”

Beth, insistant, “You can’t get shot in the head and just be okay.”

Adam thinks for a moment, and then looks back down at the ground, “Yeah, I guess so.” He stuffs his hands into his pockets. He glances back up at Beth, “Go back inside. I think I’ll just stay out here for a little while.”

Beth, uneasy, “Okay.” Awkwardly, she walks past him. He watches her go back inside.

  * Back in his hospital room, Jack slowly blinks awake form his surgery. He looks over and sees Michelle and Rose with their backs to him, speaking in low, furious voices.



Michelle, “He won’t be able to walk on his own or speak in complete sentences!”

Rose, “We don’t know that for sure. We can get all the right care at the palace.”

Michelle, “That’s not enough, and you know it!”

Rose, “We don’t have a choice here, Michelle.”

Michelle, “You and Dad kept it covered put he first two times he went to rehab, why is this any different?!”

Rose, “We could shut down any publication that said anything, and we still didn’t stop the rumors. These circumstances are very different.”

Michelle, “Oh, bullshit!”

Rose, “This can all change, depending on what choices Shepherd makes at Council.”

Jack moans softly. Rose and Michelle both look over at him, startled.

Michelle immediately puts on a smile, “Hey, metal head. How you feeling?”

Jack groans and rubs his eyes.

Rose get up, goes over to him, and kisses him on the forehead, “All you need to do is heal.” She steps back and heads towards the door, “I’ll go get the doctor.”

Michelle, “You can’t just ignore this, Mom.”

Rose, “Not now, Michelle!” She marches out into the hallway. She goes into the lobby and goes up to a doctor talking to a nurse, “He’s awake, Dr. Alexis.”

The doctor looks at her, “Excellent.”

Rose smiles and leads him back into Jack’s room. Michelle sits in her chair, fuming, as the doctor approaches Jack.

Doctor, “Hi, Jack, how are you feeling?”

Rose sits down beside Michelle as the doctor goes on, “The surgery went without a hitch…” Michelle furiously wipes tears from her eyes.

Rose looks over at her, and says softly, “Nothing is settled until after Council.”

Michelle, “It’s barbaric. He’s using Jack’s whole future like it’s some fucking playing card.”

Rose, “I know. And I hate it, too.”

Michelle stifles a bitter sob.

Rose, softly, “How much faith do you have in David?”

Michelle, “What?”

Rose, “David. He’s given to dramatic rescues, isn’t he?”

Michelle, “What, you're hoping he’ll attack the palace?”

Dr. Alexis turns to them, “Everything looks good."

Rose smiles, “Wonderful.” The doctor leaves.

  * David sleeps in his cot, but is woken up by a flash of lightning and sudden BOOM of thunder. His eyes shoot open, and he realizes it’s just thunder, “Oh, fuck.” Flash, boom. He sits up and rubs his face. Flash, boom. David goes over to the desk and begins digging around. He pulls out a bottle of meds. He opens it. Flash, boom. David jumps and accidentally drops the bottle, “Fuck!” He turns a light on and begins scooping up pills. Flash, boom. David cries out in frustration.



From his sofa, Reinhardt, “Thunderstorms are a bitch, aren’t they?”

David, “Shut the fuck up and go back to sleep.” He takes a pill and drinks from a bottle of water. Flash, boom.

Reinhardt, “Sounds just like being under mortar fire. Took me a long time to not hate thunderstorms.”

David, “What the fuck do you have to be traumatized about?”

Reinhardt, “Watched half my unit die when their transport got hit by an RPG.” Flash, boom.

David shudders.

Reinhardt sits up and lifts his shirt, revealing two bullet wounds and a laparotomy scar, “Also, I got shot.”

David lifts his shirt, “I got stabbed, by Alek Amal, no less.”

Reinhardt takes his shirt off as best he can, and turns his back, revealing a long scar, “Some asshole high on angel dust did not want to get arrested.”

David takes his shirt off and shows the burn scars on his shoulder, “I got bombed and then spent three days and three nights in the woods with no food and no water.”

Reinhardt, “You just have to keep one-upping me, don’t you?”

David, “I’m an asshole.”

Reinhardt, “You never did let me sign your cast.”

David, “Where are your pens?”

Reinhardt, “Top left drawer.”

David opens the drawer and takes out a pen. He goes over and hands it to Reinhardt. He sticks his cast out.

Reinhardt signs it. He glances down at a scar on David’s ankle, “Where did you get that one?”

David, “My brothers tried to run me over with a golf cart.”

Reinhardt laughs, “I forget, sometimes, that you’re just a kid from Bethlehem. Honestly, I never would have guessed you were capable of getting scars from something as mundane as your dumbass older brothers.”

David, “Shut up and go back to sleep.” He goes back over to his cot and lays down. He and Reinhardt both lay in silence for a little while.

Reinhardt, softly, “I feel stupid asking this, but has Lydia been by at all?”

David, “Who?”

Reinhardt, “My outrageously beautiful wife, dumbass. You met her.”

David, “Oh. I dunno. I don’t deal with that sort of thing.”

Reinhardt, “I haven’t gone more than a day without speaking with her since we’ve been married.”

David, “It hasn’t even been two weeks.”

Reinhardt, “For two weeks, she’s all I’ve been able to think about.”

David, angrily, “Try six months. At least you know she’s okay.”

Reinhardt, “I knew you were the same way about Jack.”

David, “Shut the fuck up.”

Reinhardt, “You’ve got to face Shaw the day after tomorrow, you gonna rip his throat out?”

David, “Shut up, or I’ll have you gagged!” Another boom of thunder. David takes in a sharp breath, trying not to panic.

Reinhardt, quietly and seriously, “If anyone did that to Lydia, and then kept me away from her, I’d kill them. No hesitation. Just fucking kill them.”

David, bitterly, “You’re not leading a revolution.”

Reinhardt, “No, I’m not.” He thinks for a moment, “I’d still do it, either way.”

  * In the morning, another long line waits outside of the building, and more people add names to the wall. At her station in the lobby, Beth works takes a family’s file request.



  * Monique adjusts cuff lengths on Asher’s formal uniform jacket. Shay and Joel also get measured and fitted.



David comes in, looking tired, “Hey, Monique, what do you want?”

Monique, “Finishing uniforms today. Do you and Abby still have yours?”

David, “Yeah, I think so. Can you make three in a day?”

Monique, “Four, I’m making one for me, too. I’ve been working all week, and I’ve got some friends helping me. We’ll have everything ready for Council, don’t worry.”

Shay, “We’re gonna look fuckin’ snazzy.”

Asher, “Have you thought at all about what you’re going to say tomorrow?”

David, “A little.”

Asher, disappointed, “How little?”

David, “I have something in mind. Don’t worry about it.”

Asher, “Abby and I both want to go over everything with you.”

Monique, “I want to make sure your uniform still looks good.”

David, “It’s up in my- I mean Reinhardt’s office,” he looks over at Asher, “You and Abby can talk to me in there.”

  * In Reinhardt’s office, David dresses up in his wrinkled uniform while Monique inspects. Abby shows Asher some papers. Reinhardt watches from his spot on the sofa.



Monique, “Well, it needs to be pressed, but the fit still looks good.”

David tugs on the jacket, “Good.”

Monique, “Where are your medals? There’s no way in hell I’m letting you sit down without those.”

David, “They’re in my bag. Don’t worry.”

Abby comes over and hands David a stack of papers, “I drew up some talking points for you. You need to keep all of these in mind.”

David flips through the pages, “This is a lot, Abby.”

Abby, “Yeah, well, this isn’t exactly high school debate.”

David, “I was on my high school debate team, and we were regional champions.”

Abby, “I wrote my master’s thesis on Royal Council.” Reinhardt loudly snorts with laughter.

David, “Ignore him.”

Monique, “David, take your uniform off, I need to press it.”

David puts the papers down on the desk, “Yeah, sure.” He takes the jacket off and begins to unbutton his shirt.

Reinhardt, “You really do take your shirt off more than the average person.”

David, “Shut up!” On the desk, David’s phone rings. David, “Shit.” He picks it up and sees a call from Laura.

Asher, “Who is it?”

David, “It’s Laura.” He accepts the call and puts the phone up to his ear, “Hello?”

Laura, sitting in her private jet, “Hello, David!”

David, “Uh, hi, what’s up?”

Laura, “I’m on my way to Council. I have some people with me that I think you’ll be glad to see.”

David, “What, who?”

Laura hands the phone over to Jessie, “Hey, baby! I can’t wait to see you.”

David, “Mom?! What- what are you doing, it’s not safe for you to come to Gilboa!”

Jessie, “I have protection from Laura, and she says that with the MSS being taken over, there’s no one to arrest me. I’m perfectly safe, don’t worry.”

David, “Mom, I still don’t know if this is a good idea.”

Jessie, “David, it’s worth the risk if it means I get to see you and your brothers again. I’ve missed you so much! Every night, I’m scared of what I’ll see on the news. I need to see in person that you’re all still in one piece. How have you been?”

David struggles to think of what to say, “I- I’m holding it together. It’s been rough, but, I’m okay.”

Jessie, “You boys come to my hotel room and we’ll order room service. How does that sound?”

David, “Sounds good.”

Jessie, “Tell Abby her brother is coming with us. Would you like to say hi to him?”

In the background, Frankie yells, “David, bro, what’s up?!”

David, “I’m okay, Mom, really.”

Jessie, “I’ll see you in a few hours, then, okay?”

David, “Yeah, okay. I’ll see you then.” He ends the conversation, “Fuck.”

Asher, “What’s wrong?”

David, “My mom’s gonna be in Shiloh in a few hours, she wants me and my brothers to have dinner with her. Fuck! Do you have anything nice I can wear?”

Monique, “Don’t you dare wear your uniform shirt, I am not spending all night washing soup stains out of it.”

David, “I don’t want to show up to dinner wearing an old t-shirt and cargo pants.”

Reinhardt, “I’ve got an extra suit in my closet. You’re free to wear it.”

David, “Seriously?”

Reinhardt, “I’m not using it.”

Monique looks from Reinhardt to David, “Ought to fit you good, too. Get it out, I’ll press it, along with your uniform.”

  * David, dressed in Reinhardt’s suit, walks out into a hallway, where Ethan and James wait, dressed in their AFG jackets and jeans. David pauses and looks at them.



Ethan, “Nice suit.”

David, “It’s Reinhardt’s.”

Ethan, “Seriously?”

David, “Yup.”

James, “Fitting that you’re the one dressed up.”

David, “I can put something else on.”

James, “Don’t. Let’s just get going.”

They go out into the lobby. The file exchange is still going on. Beth still sits at her station, tiredly writing down a name. David glances at her as he passes, and she looks up and sees him.

The woman Beth was talking to speaks up, “That’s G-R-E-Y.”

Beth snaps back to attention, “Oh, sorry,” and writes down the correct name.

  * Outside the MSS building, David, Ethan and James cross the street and unlocks an SUV. As Ethan and James get in, David turns and looks at the building, now covered in names of those who have died. He stares for a moment, at the Shepherd names on there, the enormity of it all weighing down on him.



  * David walks down the hallway of a fancy hotel, Ethan and James behind him.



David, “What room is it?”

Ethan checks his phone, “523.” David spots the number, and stops by the door.

He looks back at his brothers, “You ready?” Ethan and James both nod. David sighs and knocks on the door. Jessie answers. She looks at her boys for a moment.

David smiles softly, “Hi, Mom.” Jessie sweeps him into a big hug. Ethan and James both go in and hug her.

Jessie, “Oh, I’ve missed you boys so much!”

Ethan, “We’ve missed you, Mom.”

Jessie steps back, “I have a surprise for you.” She swings the door open a little wider, revealing Arthur and Sean waiting on the other side. Ethan and James go over and hug them, greeting them with brotherly laughter.

David, “How?”

Jessie, “It doesn’t matter.”

David looks at Sean, “What are you gonna do when it gets reported to the army that you were here with me?”

Sean, “Glad to see you, too, David.”

David, “No, it’s not… I’m glad to see you, it’s just, I- I’ve seen people get tortured for less!”

Ethan, “David, we still have Reinhardt as leverage. Nobody’s gonna mess with us as long as we have him.”

David sighs deeply, “Yeah, yeah, you’re right- I’m sorry. I guess I’m still stuck in war mode.”

He goes over and awkwardly hugs Sean, “I’m sorry.”

Sean, “It’s all right. You’re just looking out for everyone.” David goes over and numbly hugs Arthur, as well.

Jessie looks at her remaining boys with intense pride and sadness, “It’s been too long since I’ve had all my boys together.”

James, “When was the last time?”

Arthur, “I dunno. I think it was Eli’s funeral.”

Ethan, “I dunno if it’s really fair to call that together.”

Sean, “I guess you never expect it to be a last time, huh?”

Jessie, “I have a room service menu right here, why don’t you boys take a look at it? Queen Laura’s paying for everything- get whatever you want.”

James, “Oooh, then we definitely have to order something fancy!”

  * Everyone sits around a table and eats. James and Ethan eat with gusto while David quietly picks at his food.



James, “Oh man, you don’t realize how much you miss eating real food until you actually eat some! I mean, no offense David, but AFG food kind of sucks.”

David, “It's the best we can do.”

Ethan, “How’s the farm?”

Arthur, “Still in Gath.”

Ethan, “You had any luck trying to get back into Gilboa?”

Arthur, “Margaret and the kids are free to go to Gilboa but I can’t leave without giving up the farm.”

Ethan, “That’s bullshit.”

Jessie, “Language.”

Ethan, “I’m sorry, but it is!”

Arthur, “Best we can do is keep doing what we’ve been doing all along: just keep praying something happens. For a while it looked like the Gilboan army might re-take Bethlehem, but that stalled out once the war with Ammon started.”

David, quietly, “I’m sorry.”

Arthur, “Don’t say sorry, David, it’s not your fault.”

David, “It kind of is.”

James, “Hey, don’t pay any attention to that shit that Amal said.”

Jessie, “Amal? What did he say?”

James, “A bunch of crap trying to mess with David’s head.”

Jessie, “When was this?”

James, “Don’t worry about it, Mom!”

Sean, trying to change the subject, “So, David, do you know what you’re gonna say tomorrow?”

David, “I- I dunno. Hey, make me king? It’s a lot to think about.”

Jessie puts her hand over David’s, “Whatever happens, we’re all very proud of you.”

David, “Thanks, Mom.”

Sean, “Eli would be proud of you, too… and Dad… and Robert.”

David tries to smile, “I’m doing my best. I dunno if it's enough, but, it’s my best.”

  * After dinner, Jessie says, “I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to talk with David alone for a little while. Can you both make it back?”



Ethan, “Yeah, we can call a driver.”

Jessie, “Good.” She goes over to Ethan and James and hugs them both.

Sean pats David’s shoulder, “You’re gonna kick ass tomorrow, David!”

James, “Yeah, kick Abner’s ass for all of us, okay?”

David, “I will. Don’t worry.”

Jessie, “You boys don’t go and do anything stupid until then.”

All the bros, “Yes, Mom!” Jessie, “All right, you’d best be off then! Good night!”

The bros all head out the door, “Night!”

David, “Night.”

Jessie closes the door, and then looks over at David. She smiles at him, and then goes over and hugs him tightly.

David, quietly, “What did you want to talk about, Mom?”

Jessie, “Come sit with me.” She goes over to the sofa and sits. David follows her. She looks down at his hands, and takes the injured one in hers. The cast is now decorated with the signatures of all the bros.

Jessie, “How did you get this?”

David, “I knocked Alek Amal’s teeth out.”

Jessie sighs, “Oh, David. It drives me crazy when I don’t know what you’re doing, but when I find out, I wish I hadn’t.”

David, “I’m sorry, Mom.”

Jessie, “You don’t have to apologize. You’re doing the right thing.”

David, heavily, “Not always.”

Jessie, “What do you mean?”

David shakes his head, “Nothing. I’ve just had to make a lot of really hard decisions, and I don’t know if I’ve always made the right choice.”

Jessie smiles proudly, “That’s good. It means you still care.”

David, “I’ve done some really terrible things, Mom.”

Jessie, “Oh, David, baby.”

David starts to cry. Jessie hugs him.

Jessie, “You said you wouldn’t disappoint me by becoming a bad person. And I’m not disappointed. I’m proud. I am so, so proud of you. You are good. You’ll be okay.”

David sobs into her shoulder.


	48. S5, E10: Take Good Care

**“Take Good Care”**

Morning light shines on David’s face. He opens his eyes, and sits up. He’s still in Jessie’s hotel room, in Reinhardt’s suit, on the sofa. Jessie sips coffee at the table.

David, “Shit!”

Jessie, “You fell asleep while we were talking last night, I didn’t want to wake you up.”

David, “I have to get ready for Council!” He grabs his phone, “My phone’s almost dead!”

Jessie, “You have two hours. You can still have breakfast with me.”

David, “No, I really have to get going, Mom!” He gets up, goes over, and kisses her on the cheek, “I’ll see you later, okay?”

Jessie grabs his wrist, “David, whatever happens today, just know that I’m proud of you. You’ve done nothing but honor your father and brothers, and I know they’d be so proud, too.”

David, “I have to go.”

  * The palace ballroom is set up for Council: seating is set up all around the edges, sectioned off into eight sections. Each section has its respective flag hanging over it. In the center is a round table with eight chairs. TV crews set up their cameras and make final checks. people begin to file into their seats.



In a secluded area, Andrew talks on his phone, “I’m busy! It’s Royal Council! I can’t miss Royal Council! Call my mother!”

Beth, Adam, and Liam (all wearing their AFG jackets) enter, and begin searching for a spot to sit.

Adam, “Where do you want to sit?”

Liam, “I dunno, somewhere with a good view,” he points to some seats, “How about up there?”

Beth and Adam follow him and sit down.

Liam, “I feel stupid asking this, but are they selling snacks anywhere?”

Beth, “Spectators are allowed bottles of water but nothing else.”

Liam, “That sucks!” He leans back in his chair, “So what do we do now?”

Beth, “Wait, I guess.”

Liam sighs with nervous annoyance and looks around the ballroom. He spots Andrew in a corner, and leans into whisper to Adam, “Hey, isn’t that the motherfucker who made us leave Ammon?”

Adam, “King Warner?”

Liam, “No! Jack and Michelle’s cousin! The one who owns OMGossip!”

Adam looks, “Oh… I dunno.”

Liam pulls out his phone and begins searching.

Adam, “What are you doing?”

Liam, “Yes, it is him!”

Liam goes over to the edge of the riser, “Hey!” Andrew glances over at him.

Adam hurries over to Liam, “Come on, Liam, knock it off!”

Liam, “Yeah, I know who you are, mother fucker!”

Andrew says into his phone, “I have to go. I’m being harassed by AFG thugs.”

Liam, “You think you’re so fuckin’ big with your gossip site spreading shit about David.”

Adam, “Liam, man, shut up!”

Something clicks in Andrew’s mind, “You’re the ones from Damascus, aren’t you? The ones with the bombs- what were your names? Montrose and So…..”

Adam, “Solano.”

Andrew, “Right. There was another one. Where is he?”

Liam, “He died fighting for the AFG!”

Andrew, dismissively, “What a waste.”

Liam, “You come say that to my face, motherfucker!”

Adam elbows Liam as hard as he can, “Quit it!”

Liam rubs his ribs, “Ouch!”

Andrew rolls his eyes and turns to leave.

Liam, “Hey, where are you going?!”

Andrew, “Where I won’t be bothered. You can talk to me when you realize how hollow your idol truly is, but until then, don’t bother me.” He walks off.

Liam, “Hey!” He lunges but Adam grabs him.

Adam, “Come on, man. It’s not worth the fight.”

Liam backs off, but still snarls at Andrew, “Our next target should be him.”

Adam, “That’s up to David.”

  * In his hospital room, Jack sits up and watches news coverage of Council. The door opens and Helen enters.



She smiles at him, “Good morning.”

Jack doesn’t take his eyes of the TV, “Hi.”

Helen sits down beside his bed, and looks at the TV, “Are you excited?”

Jack doesn’t say anything. He focuses intently on the hubbub on the TV. Helen puts her hand over his.

  * Michelle stands on the balcony overlooking the palace entrance, watching the crowd below.



Rose approaches her, “Come on, we have to get to our seats.”

Michelle, “I’m not leaving until I see Abby.”

Rose, “Come on Michelle.”

She puts a hand on Michelle’s arm, but Michelle pulls away, "Why don’t you go sit with Christine?!”

Rose, “Christine had something urgent come up.”

Michelle, “I’m still not leaving.”

Rose, “If you don’t come with me, your security is going to come up and drag you away. You know they won’t let you be anywhere near David.”

Michelle, “They can drag me away, then.”

  * In the back of an SUV, Abby, wearing her uniform, shoves a protein bar into David’s hand.



Abby, “Fucking eat something, you need to be as ready as possible.”

Monique, in the front seat, turns, “Do not get crumbs on your uniform.”

David awkwardly angles his head away from his chest and eats.

Abby, “Did you at least sleep last night?”

David, “Yes, I did.”

Abby nods, “Good. Just remember, David, not only are you a better leader than Abner, you’ve fucking earned your right to sit at Council. You deserve to be king. That’s something Abner will never have.”

David smiles sadly, “I think Michelle is gonna be there. I don’t know if they’ll let you talk to her.”

Abby, quietly, “I’ve been trying not to think about that.”

David, “I’ll do what I can.”

Abby, “Whatever happens, happens. There’s a lot that’s riding on this Council, and me seeing Michelle is just a fragment of all that. Try to keep your focus on what’s really important.”

David, “I will.”

Abby, “I believe in you, David. I’ve believed in you ever since I met you. It’s been an incredible honor to be at your side.”

David, getting emotional, “Don’t say that shit right now. It’s hard enough to keep myself together without it.”

Abby, “Okay. You’ll do great. Because you are great.”

David, “Thanks, Abby.”

The SUV approaches the palace. Crowds swell out front, waving countless AFG flags and signs of support for David.

Abby, “Holy shit. You’d think you were already king.”

David gawks at the crowd as the SUV pulls to a stop.

Abby puts her hand over his, “You ready?”

David nods, still awed by the size of the crowd. He undoes his seatbelt, opens the door, and gets out.

The crowd roars and chants, “David! David! David!”

o In Jack’s hospital room, Helen points at David on the TV, “There he is!”

Jack watches without saying anything.

Helen, “He looks good in a uniform. No wonder you like him so much.”

o Back at the palace, Abby steps by David’s side.

o Up on the balcony, looking down, Michelle sees her, and clasps her hand over her mouth, her eyes full of tears.

Rose, “You’ve seen her. Let’s go.” She takes Michelle’s arm in hers and leads her away.

o David looks down at Abby, and she gives him a reassuring smile.

Abby, “Let’s do this.” They begin to walk towards the door together.

Cameras flash, and TV reporters yell, “General Shepherd! General Shepherd!”

David simply waves and keeps going. He and Abby go inside the palace.

  * Inside, an employee gestures them to the elevators, “General Shepherd, this way, please.”



In a waiting room, Abner talks to Kings Lawrence and John while Laura, Warner, and Anthony all talk to their advisors. David and Abby enter. Abner casts David a dirty look, but then pretends to ignore him.

Laura goes up, “David! How are you?” She hugs him.

David, “Still alive, I guess.” He looks over at Abner.

Laura, “Just know that whatever happens, I’m squarely on your side. No one else is the rightful king of Gilboa but you.”

David, “Thanks, Laura. Will you give me a minute?”

He goes over to Abner, “Sir, may I speak to you?”

Abner casts him a suspicious look, and then says, “What do you want, Shepherd?”

David, “I just want to say, whatever happens today, the most important thing here is Gilboa and its future.” He sticks out his hand, and Abner shakes it awkwardly.

The door opens, and Shaw enters. For a moment David and Abner are united in giving Shaw their deadliest, most hateful looks.

  * The monarchs line up with their advisors beside them, David and Abby at the very end.



Abby, “Just be yourself, David. You’re the one that everyone loves.”

The doors open, and the monarchs begin the march into the ballroom, set up for Royal Council. The crowd stands and applauds. Everyone is divided into national contingencies, the flags of their nations hanging above them.

The AFG contingency is a wall of solid blue, everyone wearing their jackets. Ethan and James applaud proudly. Monique, Asher, Shay, and Joel sit in their formal uniforms at the front. Adam and Beth watch with apprehension while Liam cheers.

In the Gilboan contingency, Rose and Michelle, still wearing mourning black, clap, while Michelle struggles to keep from crying. In his army uniform, Sean smiles proudly at David. Andrew sits in a position above them. To his left, he can watch Rose and Michelle. To his right, he can keep an eye on Adam, Liam, and Beth. He watches everything and claps politely.

In the Gath contingency, Arthur applauds.

In the Moabian contingency, Jessie applauds and cries with pride while Frankie hoots and fist-pumps.

Abby sees Michelle and smiles, tears in her eyes. Michelle puts her hand over her heart.

The monarchs gather around the table in their correct places. David stares down at his nameplate.

Emma stands at a podium, “Royal Council will come to order. When your name is called, please sit. King Lawrence Merritt of Edom.”

King Lawrence sits. One by one, the monarchs are called out, each name earning polite applause: King John Fairweather of Samaria, King Anthony Busko of Aram, Premier Gerald Shaw of Gath, King Linus Abner of Gilboa, Queen Laura Wall of Moab, and finally, “General David Shepherd of the Army of Free Gilboa.”

David steps forward. The crowd explodes into raucous applause. David sits down, and looks around at the crowd, heartened by the support. Abby looks around and smiles brightly.

Abner scowls and leans in to speak into his microphone, “That’s enough.”

The applause comes to an abrupt, awkward end. Everyone stares at Abner.

He goes on, “It is my honor and privilege to welcome my fellow monarchs, and General Shepherd, to Shiloh Royal Council today. Today, we gather to debate who is the rightful king of Gilboa, myself, or General David Shepherd. The law here could not be clearer, a king has a right to declare a successor, and in his will, King Silas declared me his successor. I’m not as handsome or as charming as General Shepherd, but I am very much the king of Gilboa.”

The Gilboan contingency applauds, but Rose and Michelle don’t. Everyone looks at David.

David takes in a deep breath, “I think the people of Gilboa couldn’t be clearer, they want me as their king.”

The AFG contingency roars, and Michelle applauds.

David smiles, “King Linus and I have both led armies, but Linus only led in King Silas’s footsteps. I’ve spent the past two years fighting and bleeding for Gilboa. When Silas and Linus refused to acknowledge the Amalekites, I dedicated myself and my army to fighting them.”

Shouts of support from the AFG. Andrew watches Liam lead Adam and Beth in cheering.

David grins, confident, “When it was clear that the Amalekites were the greatest threat to Gilboa, I put aside my differences with King Silas and united our armies to fight them. Because of this, we saved hundreds of lives at the Western Mall. When Gath tried to invade Gilboa, our armies again united, and we stopped the invasion. I’ve survived things that by all accounts, should have killed me. I’ve lost dear friends, both when they died and when they turned against me. Even facing horrific loss after horrific loss, I’ve kept fighting, because I believe in what I’m fighting for: A peaceful future. A free Gilboa. I believe I’ve earned its crown.”

Sustained applause from all of the crowd. Adam and Beth both applaud with full enthusiasm. Jessie beams with pride.

Lawrence, “Where’d you get the cast?”

David raises his hand, “I hit Alek Amal's face too hard.” He grins.

Shouts and applause of approval.

Warner, “I cannot abide a homosexual as king.”

Boos from the crowd.

David, “With all due respect, sir, I’m bisexual. Although, I generally prefer the Japanese euphemism, ryototsukai. It means one who wields two swords. Truth be told, I don’t really like labels, but if I had to pick one.”

Warner, “You’re just gay.”

David, without even really thinking, “Your mom didn’t think I was just gay.”

David has the briefest moment of _shit, I shouldn’t have said that_. Abby’s soul leaves her body. Rose is utterly mortified. The crowd erupts with laughter, screams, and cheers mixed with furious shouts and boos from the Ammonians. Ethan and James hi-five. David suppresses a smirk.

John, “His sexuality is irrelevant, Warner.”

Warner, “It’s not irrelevant when a leader lies about the sort of person he is.”

David, “I’ve never lied.”

Warner, “And what about your relationship with Jack Benjamin?”

David grows more serious, “I never denied being in a relationship with Jack. Everyone close to us and in the AFG knew about us. But we made the decision to be discrete so that no one would try to hurt me by hurting Jack.”

Warner smirks, “And that’s exactly what happened, isn’t it?”

David determinedly doesn’t look at Shaw.

Shaw, “I will say that when I shot the prince, I only intended to hurt Silas. Any hurt to others was… _collateral_.”

The Gilboans and AFG shout and boo with anger. Beth shifts uncomfortably in her seat. David clenches his teeth and fists, struggling to keep the burning fury within himself. Rose struggles to swallow her disgust, and Michelle jumps to her feet. Abner gives Shaw a hateful stare. Andrew watches Rose grab Michelle’s wrist. She tries to pull her to sit back down, but Michelle resists.

o In the hospital, Helen shakes her head with disgust.

o Abby looks on, struggling not to cry. Finally, Michelle gives in and sits back down.

John, “I don’t understand everything that's happened. What is your story, General Shepherd?”

David, “Uh, are you willing to sit here for a while? If you want the full story, I’m going to need some help,” he turns back to Abby, “You want to help, Abby?” he turns over and looks at the AFG, “I’m gonna need my officers, and uh, Princess Michelle should probably come down here, too.”

Abner, “They will stay where they are seated.”

John, “Where did this all begin?”

David, “With the tank, I guess.”

John, “What inspired you to go against orders, facing a court-martial, risking not only your life but the lives of the two captive soldiers you were after, and the lives of those in your camp?”

David, “Well, my mom will tell you that I’ve always been an idiot, but, I knew what was going to happen to those soldiers if someone didn’t intervene quickly, and, even though at the time, they were just two strangers, I couldn’t stand doing nothing. Unlike King Linus, who during his time as a soldier was perfectly content to let King Silas do all the heroics, I decided to do the right thing. I did something incredibly stupid, and nothing since then has been the same.”

John, “Is that when you fell in love?”

David blushes slightly, “Jack says that it was love at first sight,” his blush deepens, “It took me a little while to figure it out, but when I knew I was in love with Jack, I knew that I’d been in love with him. So I guess you could say that’s when I fell in love.”

o In his hospital room, Jack cries.

o Beth stares at her feet.

Abner, smugly, “Has it been difficult, being separated from him?”

David, his voice wavering slightly, “The worst six months of my life.”

Abner, “What would you be willing to sacrifice to see him again?”

David, “I’m not capitulating to you. I still have support.”

Abner, “So you would be willing to walk out of here, not being able to see him again, if it meant taking the moral high ground and insisting that you are the rightful king?”

David, “If I have to, I will continue to fight, and I know that nobody here believes that you’re a good king.”

A roar from the crowd.

Laura, “My support goes to General Shepherd.”

Anthony, “As does mine.”

John, “You must admit, Linus, General Shepherd has shown exemplary skill in leading his army.”

Abner, “Was he skilled when Alek Amal and set off thirty bombs across Gilboa?”

David, “I had no way of knowing that would happen.”

Abner, “Alek Amal was a master of laying traps, how could you not think he wouldn’t have a trap laid for you?”

David, “I thought it would be a trap for me, not innocent people. And I, at least, was actually trying to stop Amal. If I had done like you and ignored him, he’d still be killing people.” Applause.

Abner scowls, “You aren’t as skilled a leader as you pretend to be, and you aren’t as morally righteous, either. Tell everyone about the execution of Douglas Ericsson.”

David, “Doug was a traitor who caused the death of eighty-five people at Nob, and whose continued treachery forced the AFG to go into Ammon.”

Abner, “Is that what you tell your mother? Do you always leave out the fact that he was a friend of yours?”

David, “He was a traitor, and he had to be executed.”

Jessie covers her mouth with her hand and tears fall down her face.

Abner, “Executed by you?”

David, “It had to be done.”

Shaw speaks up, “Gath is at war with Gilboa. What are each of you going to do about this?”

Abner, “You killed my king and my best friend-”

Shaw, “He killed himself.”

Abner, “I am going to destroy Gath. It’s the only option I see.”

Shaw looks at David.

David, “I’ll be honest, I want to do the same. I want to bomb Ashdod into oblivion and then mount your skull in my office. But I’m not going to do that. You are not the people of Gath, and the people of Gath don’t deserve to suffer because of what you did. I set out to end the perpetual wars that Gilboa finds itself locked in, and I still mean that. I intend to settle peacefully with both Gath and Ammon.”

Lawrence, “You have proven yourself as a leader, General Shepherd. But the law is the law. I’m afraid that I must support King Linus here.”

John, “I concur.”

Warner, “I concur.”

Shaw, “I concur.”

David points at Shaw, “You said I was king! You shot Jack, Silas killed himself, and then you looked straight at me, and you said, ‘You’re king!’”

Shaw, “I didn’t realize that Linus had been chosen as successor.”

Abner, “Supporting a rebel like Shepherd undermines all of our crowns! If Shepherd becomes king, what will happen next? Will there be insurrections in Ammon? In Aram? In Edom? If Silas can be overthrown, any one of you can be overthrown!”

Anthony looks from Abner to David nervously, “As much as I like you, David, I must concur that Linus is king.”

Laura, “You come from a stable country, Anthony. Every day, I wake up and face numerous groups that are trying to overthrow me. Gerald and Warner both do, too. David may stop fighting, but others will come for Linus. Because the people want what David wants. They want peace, and they want freedom, and they are willing to fight and die for it. Do you know how I’ve kept the peace in Moab? I listen to my people. I respect them. I honor them. And because of that, my people support me. Because I know where my people’s support lies, I am not afraid of being overthrown. I know that I am loved. David is loved. And love is always stronger than fear. And so I object. I will not back down. David is the rightful king!”

Applause from Moab and the AFG.

Warner, “Are you going to keep us here all night, then?”

Laura, “You only support Linus because you want Gilboa to collapse! You want to spread your twisted version of Christianity across the world, and you know you can defeat Linus, but not David! I ask my fellow monarchs, what will become of your countries if Gilboa collapses?! Linus may have the law on his side, but when it comes to who is the right leader, the answer is overwhelmingly David!”

Abner, “I am not incompetent! For twenty-five years, I led Silas’s army, and I led it well! Silas was a smart enough leader to know that nepotism would only hurt him! He never would have appointed me General if he didn’t believe I was a capable leader!”

Laura, “You try so hard to be Silas, but what did he ever do for Gilboa? If he was as great a leader as you say, they wouldn’t be burning his effigy in front of his own palace.”

Abner, “You cunt!”

Boos and hisses from the crowd.

David, "Wow, that’s totally inappropriate.”

Laura, “You will never have my support, Linus. I will sit here until I pass out.”

Abner, “If Shepherd agreed to something, would you support him?”

Laura, “David will never support you.”

Abner looks at David, “How’s your mental health, Shepherd?”

David, “What?”

Abner, “You’ve been fighting this war for a long time. I know what kind of effect it has on soldiers. Do you sleep well?”

David bristles, “I’ve been seeing a doctor who diagnosed me with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. I actually rather resent the implication that being affected by them makes me somehow weak or unfit to lead. This sort of stigma only encourages brave, good soldiers to avoid treatment and does incredible amounts of harm. Depression and PTSD, well, quite frankly, they suck, but they’re treatable. I’ve been treating mine, and I remain strong and willing to fight.”

Abner, “Do you have nightmares?”

David, gritting his teeth, “Yes.”

Abner, “Have you ever been suicidal?”

David glares, “There was a moment after Jack was shot and you announced your kingship, but… it passed. And I had people looking out for me.”

Abner, “If you’re already traumatized, why keep adding to it? How much longer can you fight? How many more battles are in you? How many friends are you willing to lose? You must be tired.”

David, “I will keep fighting as long as I have to.”

Abner, “You say you want to negotiate peace with Gath. That means long, exhausting hours spent face-to-face with that man,” he points to Shaw, “You watched him shoot the person you love. Aren’t flashbacks to traumatic events a part of PTSD?”

David keeps his gaze away from Shaw.

Abner, “Look into his face right now, and tell me what you see.”

David raises his gaze.

Abner, “Do you see him shooting Jack? Do you hear the gunshot? Do you feel to cold air of Mt. Gilboa? Can you smell the blood?”

David, “I don’t understand how you can look at his face and not see the face of the man who sought to kill your king and best friend.”

Abner, “Oh, I do. Believe me, I do. And I don't kid myself. I know he’ll never agree to peace, he’ll only try to hurt me if I give him the chance. So I don’t give him the chance. You have your ideals, Shepherd, but I’ve watched first-hand what it takes to be king, and I know what the world is really like. Sometimes, you do what you have to do, even if it means execution. Do you want to be king, David? Do you _really_ want to be king? Have you ever really wanted to be king?”

David, “If this were solely about what I want, Jack and I would be living in a beach condo in Moab.”

Abby hurries up behind David. She pulls out a stack of files from within her briefcase and lays them out in front of David. He picks them up, and looks at them. Abby puts her hand on David’s shoulder.

David looks at Abner, “This is not about me, and it never has been. It’s about Dr. Ivan Waters, who was murdered by the MSS for criticizing King Silas in his political science courses.”

In the Gilboan crowd, Wednesday tears up. Adam watches with his heart in his throat.

David goes on, “It’s about Lt. General Franklin Hatch, who was murdered for disputing Silas’s insistence that the Amalekites weren’t a threat, and his son, Franklin, Jr. who was tortured and would have died if not for being rescued by the AFG. It’s about my father, whose life was simply collateral damage when King Silas attacked his own troops. It’s about my brothers, Eli and Robert.”

Jessie weeps with pride.

David continues, “It's about Reverend Ephraim Samuels, and Leo and Nora Levinson, and Isaiah Clemens, and everyone who died because King Silas did nothing to stop the Amalekites, and all the names in files in the MSS building, and all the loved ones who have spent years wondering what happened. This is about something much larger than myself, and what I want is completely irrelevant.”

Abby speaks up, “Please, I beg you, as a citizen of Gilboa, you have to make the right decision!”

Lawrence, “I’m sorry, Miss Hatch, but my support still lies with King Linus.”

John, Warner, and Shaw all chime in with “I concur.”

Anthony thinks for a moment, and then quietly says, “I concur.”

Laura, “I object."

Silence. All eyes on Abner. He sits silent for an agonizingly long moment, deep in thought. Finally, he stares straight at David and says, “I will let you see Jack.”

Abby wavers where she stands. Beth sits stock still. Liam and Adam look at each other in apprehension, while Andrew looks down at them. Asher, Joel, Shay, and Monique hold their breath. Absolute silence in the room. Everyone hangs in suspense. David stares at Abner.

Abner, “Council is on my side, David. You’ve lost. If you continue to disagree, you will walk out of here, and never see Jack again. If you concur with the council, and agree to stop fighting, I will let you see him.”

David sits without saying anything. Rose and Michelle tightly hold hands. Andrew watches Adam and Beth intensely, gauging their dismayed reactions.

o Jack clutches Helen’s hand.

o Abner, “You don’t even know what condition he’s in do you?”

David, hushed, “No.”

Abner smugly looks at the other monarchs, “I’ve deliberately withheld any update on Prince Jack’s condition for a moment like this. Brain injuries, as you must know, can completely destroy a person. People with brain injuries often can’t speak, can’t walk, lose their memories, don’t recognize the ones they love. They are left an empty body with no mind at all. You don’t want Jack to be left all alone like that, do you?”

Beth hangs on every word, terrified.

David, his voice wavering, “He’s not like that. He’s doing well, that’s why you’ve withheld any announcement about him, you don’t want to give me hope.”

Beth starts to breathe deeply, panicking.

Abner, annoyed, “Jack woke up five days after he was shot, late in the evening. His sister was there with him at the time. He recognized her and was able to squeeze her hand. At first, he couldn’t speak, and he could barely move. Since then, he has progressed well.”

Tears fall down David’s cheeks.

o Jack, softly, “No, no, no.”

o Beth furiously wipes her eyes.

Abner, “Brain injuries like Jack’s take years to recover from and need very intense therapy. In a week, Jack will be cleared to leave the hospital. In order to maximize his recovery potential, he needs to go to an intensive rehabilitation center. It could make the difference between whether or not he will be able to speak in full sentences and walk on his own. Personally, I want to bring him home to the palace.”

David visibly fumes.

Abner goes on, “However, I am willing to leave the decision up to you. If you concur and stop fighting, you can be with Jack and continue his rehabilitation as needed, or keep fighting. and he’ll be locked up in the palace.”

Laura hisses, “You are inhuman!”

Abby, “This is blackmail and hostage-taking!”

Abner looks at David, “At this point, Jack can almost stand up on his own, and he can say a few words. His recovery will be halted at this point without further therapy.”

Laura, “This is barbaric!”

Abner, “He asks for you, David.”

Abby, full of righteous anger, “You cannot use a person’s well-being as-”

David cuts her off, “I want amnesty. Complete, unconditional amnesty for anyone involved with the AFG.”

Laura, “David, no!”

Abby, “This is banned in international law!”

Adam and Liam whisper to each other, “What? What is he doing?” Beth sobs.

David, “And there has to be reform. Things can’t go on like they did under Silas.”

Abner, smiling smugly, “I can agree to that.”

David, “And the AFG maintains control of the MSS building and everything within it.”

Abner, “I’m not so sure about that.”

David, “Do you want an agreement or not?”

Everyone in the AFG crowd reacts with dismay as they all realize what’s happening. Liam is up on his feet, yelling. Adam clutches at his chest like he’s been wounded. Andrew takes it all in.

Abner thinks for a long moment, “I suppose it can be negotiated in the future.”

David, “Then I concur.”

o Jack, “No!”

o Laura has tears in her eyes, “David!”

David looks at her, “Laura, please.”

Laura puts her hand over her mouth. Abby looks at her in dismay.

Shay, Joel, Monique, and Asher all exchange tense looks.

Laura sniffs, “Fine. I concur.”

Emma rushes up to the podium, “With this agreement, Royal Council is hereby concluded.”

A cacophony of furious shouts, anguished wails, and applause from the crowd. Abby has to lean against David for support.

Abner jumps to his feet, “I thank you, fellow monarchs!” He vigorously begins shaking hands.

Beth bolts up and runs to the nearest exit. Andrew watches her leave the ballroom. Liam continues to shout furiously. Adam is too stunned to do anything.

([“Sky Full of Song” Florence + The Machine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk21n-Kh3LQ)) Abby, bewildered, “What the fuck?! David!”

David, quietly, “Go be with Michelle, Abby.”

Abby looks at Michelle, who cries. Abby, “David…”

David stands up, “I want to see Jack! Bring me to Jack right now!”

Abner, “He’s just at the hospital. Go see him.”

David turns around and begins marching towards the exit. Abby looks from David to Michelle, back to David, back to Michelle, and then runs towards her. Michelle runs toward Abby, and they tearfully embrace. Shay, Monique, and Asher sit stunned while Joel hangs his head.

· David, minus his jacket and tie, barges into the waiting room of the hospital, where Dr. Hussein waits for him.

Dr. Hussein, “General Shepherd.”

David, “Where is Jack?”

Dr. Hussein, “Before I take you to him, I should prepare you-”

David, “I want to see Jack!”

Dr. Hussein, “He had surgery about a week ago, so his head is still bandaged. His speech is very limited, he’s lost hearing in his left ear-”

David, “Please, please, just take me to Jack!”

Dr. Hussein, “All right, follow me.”

Dr. Hussein leads David to Jack’s door. Helen waits outside. She watches David pass, but he doesn’t notice her. David and Jack see each other through the window.

Jack, “No!”

Dr. Hussein opens the door and David rushes in, “Jack!”

Jack, “David! No!”

David hugs him and kisses him, crying uncontrollably, “Jack, Jack…”

Jack, crying too, “No, no, no.”

David, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” He looks Jack in the eye, “I’m tired of fighting. I’m so fucking tired.”

Jack struggles to say a word, and finally blurts out, “King!”

David, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

Jack, “K-king David!”

David, “That’s not going to happen, Jack.”

Jack, “No!”

David kisses him again and again, “I love you. I love you so fucking much.”

Jack, “David, David…”

o In her room at the palace, Michelle and Abby passionately make love.

o In the living room of the residence, Rose fixes herself a drink, the portrait of Silas looking over her shoulder.

o In front of the palace, Asher, Shay, Joel, and Monique all stand dejectedly. Shay has a comforting arm around Wednesday’s shoulder.

Joel, “So what now?”

Shay, “I don’t know. I really don’t know.”

Monique, “I think we’re supposed to just live our lives.”

Joel, “That’s bullshit.”

Monique, “I’m going back to the MSS building. I’m hungry. They should have dinner ready soon.”

Asher, “You guys go there without me. I need to go somewhere.”

o Adam sits in the back area of a van stuffed with AFG soldiers. Liam sits next to him, animatedly arguing with the others around him. Adam quietly nurses his hurt. A few tears fall down his face.

o At a bus station, Beth buys a ticket, “One for Menasseh, please.”

o In the palace ballroom, Abner laughs with Lawrence, John, Warner, and Shaw, “I had it planned out all along!” Anthony stands by them without really joining their conversation.

o Laura cries in the back of her limo.

o David carefully lifts the edge of Jack’s bandage, revealing the bullet scar on his forehead.

David, “You have a scar.” He shuts his eyes and kisses it. He looks into Jack’s eyes, “I can’t tell you how badly I’ve wanted to see your face with a scar instead of a wound.”

Jack buries his face into David’s neck, and David caresses his cheek.

o Abby and Michelle lay in each other’s arms, looking into each other’s eyes.

Abby, “I’ve missed you so much.”

Michelle, “I know.”

Abby, “I love you.”

Michelle, “I love you, too.”

o Rose sits on a sofa and looks up at Silas’s portrait, a glass of scotch in her hand. She knocks back the last of it and sets it on a table. She breaks down and cries bitterly.

o A nurse leads Andrew down a hospital hallway. He carries a bouquet of pink roses. The nurse opens a door, and Andrew goes in.

Christine turns around and sees him, “There you are.”

Chloe lays in a bed, holding their newborn daughter, Zoe. She smiles at Andrew, “Hi.”

o Abner and Emma host the other kings and their queens at the traditional post-Council dinner. Laura’s seat is conspicuously empty.

o Jack lays on David’s shoulder while David holds him.

o Beth boards a bus marked Menasseh. She sits down in her seat, very much alone.

o Outside the MSS building, AFG soldiers and citizens gather, holding candles. Liam angrily knocks back a bottle of booze. Joel, Shay, and Monique arrive and get out of their car. They look at the vigil gathering, the flowers set at the memorial wall.

o Up in his office, Reinhardt looks down at it all.

o Asher sits in an empty synagogue and prays.

o Adam sits alone at the spot where Ryan was killed.

o David speaks to Jack, “I have to tell you, I- I slept with a girl. I-”

Jack claps his hand over David’s mouth. Jack looks up at him angrily for a moment, but can’t sustain it. He moves his hand away and kisses David forgivingly.

David, “I’m so sorry,” he presses his forehead against Jack’s, “You’re the only thing that matters to me. I don’t care about anything else.”

o Street lights shine over Beth’s face as the bus travels down the highway. The tears on her face sparkle.

o Abby and Michelle sit on a sofa, looking at the news.

o Helen watches the news.

o Emma watches the news.

o Jessie watches the news.

o Andrew holds his new daughter and watches the news.

o A reporter reports from the now massive vigil in front of the MSS building. Joel, Shay, and Monique stand at the top of the stairs. Joel raises his fist, and others raise their fists with him.

o Asher sits in contemplation.

o David and Jack lay together, peaceful and quiet.

The door opens, and Rose walks in. David stands up. Rose stares at him for a long moment, and then steps forward and hugs him. Awkwardly, David hugs her back. Rose looks at Jack over his shoulder, but then turns back to David.

Rose, “You’d better take good care of him.”

David, “I will.”


	49. S5, E11: Nothing On My Tongue But Hallelujah

**“Nothing On My Tongue But Hallelujah”**

Morning, David’s phone rings. David, lying in a comfortable-looking bed, a cast no longer on his arm, groans, rubs his face, and grabs his phone from the side table.

He answers it, “Hello?”

Monique’s voice, “I need you to bail me out.”

David, “What? You aren’t supposed to be arrested anymore!”

Monique, “Oh, I’m allowed to perform drag, but the police are always there, and the moment _one_ titty pops out, it’s an allegedly obscene performance.”

David, “I am _busy_ today. Jack’s coming home!”

Monique, “It will only take you a few minutes to drop by the police station. I know you have the money, and I will still pay you back.”

David, “All right, fine, I’ll be there.” He ends the conversation.

  * David opens the front door of his new apartment, perfectly prepared for Jack to come home to it. On the other side stands his new security detail, Randy, wearing his AFG jacket.



Randy, “Good morning, sir.”

David, “We have errands to run today.”

Randy, “What kind of errands?”

David, “Getting ready for Jack’s party, and some business I have to tend to.”

Randy, “How are we getting ready for Jack’s party?”

David, “We’re just picking a few things up-” He’s interrupted when the next door down opens, and Michelle, wearing medical scrubs and carrying a stack of textbooks, walks out with her new security detail, Genevieve, in tow. Genevieve looks well-put together and professional in a pressed suit and tight bun, while Randy looks shabby in his old jacket and cargo pants.

Michelle hurries down the hallway towards the elevators and David hurries after her, “Hey, Michelle!”

She casts him an annoyed look, and says curtly, “David.”

David, “Just making sure, you are coming to the party tonight, right? I mean, Jack will be pretty pissed if you don’t make it.”

Michelle, “I’m volunteering at the clinic, and it usually keeps me late, but yes, I will try to make it to Jack’s party.” The elevator dings and the door slides open. They both get in, Genevieve and Randy following. David reaches to press the ground floor button, but Michelle gets it. They stand awkwardly in silence for a moment. Genevieve casts Randy a judgmental stare.

David, “I finally finished getting the apartment ready a few days ago. I think Jack’s gonna love it. I worked really hard to make it into a place where he can be happy.”

Michelle, “Yeah, that’s nice.” The door dings open, and Michelle and David step out into a parking garage.

David, “How long are you going to stay mad at me, Michelle?”

Michelle, “Until you find a way to un-fuck that girl.” Genevieve unlocks a large, shiny black security SUV.

David, “Jack forgives me!”

Michelle, “Yeah, well, Jack’s a lot more forgiving than I am.”

David, “Come on!”

Michelle opens the passenger door of the SUV, “I’m coming to your party. You can’t complain.” She gets in.

David, “Michelle!” He looks on in dismay as the SUV backs out of the spot and drives away.

Randy comes up behind him, “So what kind of errands are we running today?”

  * Inside a police station, David stands at the front desk while a cop inspects his ID.



Cop, “Soooo… the man who wants to be king is here to pick up a queen.”

David, “Monique is an artist trying to make a living, and can you just go get her, please?”

Cop, “Fine.”

He goes back into the holding area, and comes out with Monique, her wig lopsided and her heels in her hand.

Monique, “Thank you, David.”

David, “Don’t worry about it.”

They go outside. David, “Do you have cab money?”

Monique, “No, I can get an Uber.”

David, “I don’t mind driving you back to your apartment.”

Monique, “You already bailed me out.”

David, “Please?”

Monique, “Fine. Twist my arm.”

  * Inside his car, David talks, “I don’t get it. You’re able to legally perform, now, and everyone knows who you are. How are you making less money than you were before?”



Monique, “Cops. They come, they keep an eye on everything. Bust anyone doing something they don’t like. Used to be much freer when they weren’t around.”

David, “I’ll talk to Reinhardt.”

Monique, “Oh, bitch, please, you really think he’s gonna pay any attention to you?”

David, “He does.”

Monique, “As long as the AFG has control over the MSS building, He’s got nowhere to go, and nothing to do. Besides, this is Shiloh PD, not MSS.”

David, “Reinhardt can still pull a few favors, okay?”

Monique, “Can and will are two different things.”

Behind them, Randy says, “Shit.” Down the street, a paparazzo snaps pictures.

Randy looks at David, “You might want to think carefully about what we’re gonna do for the rest of the day.”

  * David follows Monique down the hallway of a shitty apartment building.



Monique, “You don’t have to follow me to my door.”

David, “I thought I’d drop in and say hi to Shay.”

Monique reaches her door and unlocks it, “All right. You have a good day, David.”

David, “Oh, did you get a chance to finish Jack’s gift?”

Monique, “Yes, don’t you worry about that. I’ll have it wrapped in time for the party.”

David, “Thanks!” Monique enters her apartment, and shuts the door behind her. David sighs and looks at the closed door. He walks down the hallway, and knocks on another door.

Shay answers, “What? Oh, hey, David.”

David, “I had to bail Monique out this morning.”

Shay, “Again?”

David, “Yeah.”

Shay, “You know this is against the amnesty terms, right?”

David, “Talk about it with Abby.”

Shay, “You know it’s only a matter of time before Abner declares the amnesty invalid, right?”

David, “Abner knows that the AFG stands ready to defend itself. Besides, you’ve seen the numbers, you know he’s not going to go picking fights with us while he’s still fighting Gath and Ammon.”

Shay, “He will.”

David sighs with annoyance, “Look, I’m not dealing with that today, okay? Jack is coming home, to the beautiful apartment I put together for him, and everything’s gonna be really nice! That’s all I’m focusing on!”

Shay, “Well, when you’re ready to focus on what the rest of us are focusing on. I’ll see you later tonight, okay?”

David, “Yeah, I’ll see you later, I guess.”

Shay shuts the door.

David turns around and gestures to Randy, “Come on.”

  * Outside the apartment building, the paparazzo has been joined by another one. They snap wildly as David and Randy get into the SUV.



  * In another shitty apartment building, he knocks on a door. Jessie answers.



David, “Hey, Mom.”

Jessie, “Come in, come in, I want to show you what I’ve done!”

David follows her into a small, shabby apartment, where seven immaculate pies lie on the kitchen counter.

Jessie, “Is seven pies enough?”

David gawks, “Oh my god, Mom!”

Jessie, “You said Jack likes chocolate, right? I made a French silk pie, which I’ve never done before, but I think it turned out fine!”

David, “There isn’t going to be that many people there!”

Jessie, “Oh, everyone loves pie!”

David, “Yeah, but it’s just a small homecoming party! Not a coronation ball!”

Jessie, “I don’t think you’ve ever complained about having too much pie.”

David, “Yeah, well, that was before I had to figure out how to fit all these pies into the back of my car, along with the rest of the catering, without spilling.”

Jessie, “I’ll bring the pies!”

David, “You don’t have a car!”

Jessie, “I’ll take an Uber!”

David sighs and sits down, “All right, I give up! You can bring the pies!”

Jessie sits down across from him, “I knew you’d relent. I was worried that crummy little oven in there wouldn’t be able to handle it, but it did just fine.”

David looks around the tiny apartment, “You have to let me get you a nicer apartment. Jack’s still a prince, and he owns CrossGen! He has all this money, it needs to go to something good!”

Jessie, “I’m perfectly happy here. I don’t like taking money I haven’t earned.”

David, “Mom, you _have_ earned it!”

Jessie, “I don’t like just sitting around. I like having a job.”

David, “Bagging groceries part time?”

Jessie, “I meet people! Sometimes they recognize me as your mom!”

David, “You deserve better.”

Jessie, “Well, what else am I supposed to do? Without the farm to run and boys to look after, I’m useless! Bagging groceries is better than just sitting around and watching TV all day.”

David, “All right. I should know better than to argue with you.”

Jessie, “Oh, David. How are you doing?”

David, “I’m fine.”

Jessie, “Have you been talking to that doctor?”

David, “Yes, and he says I’m doing really well.”

Jessie sighs, “I just worry about you, baby.”

David, “I’m actually doing well. It’s pretty amazing what ending a war can do for your mental health.”

Jessie, “You aren’t disappointed, are you?”

David, “What? I’m with Jack! I never wanted to be king in the first place, I’m perfectly happy!”

Jessie, “All right. I’m your mother, I can’t help but worry.”

David, “You don’t need to worry about me anymore, Mom.”

Jessie, “That never stopped me.”

  * Back in the SUV, Randy says, “Where to next?”



David, “Picking up some catering for the party.”

Randy, “I’ll take you back to the apartment and get someone to pick it up for you.”

David, “What? The deli’s just up ahead, it’ll be much easier just to get it.”

Randy glances in his rearview mirror where a small cluster of paparazzi now snaps pictures, “We’ve got paps on us, man.”

David, “I’m just picking up some sandwich trays! How boring can you get?!”

Randy, “Really, we should just head back.”

David, “No! I am not going to let those assholes harass me out of a nice, normal life!”

Randy, “It’s not about-”

David cuts him off, “I am not so pretentious I can’t go buy my own food, okay?! I want to be able to live my life and enjoy it! It’s enough that I have to go everywhere with a security detail-” he catches himself and calms down, “I mean, I know you’re just doing your job and all, but it’s kind of a lot to get used to.”

Randy shakes his head, “Look, Jack and Michelle may have the benefits of a full palace security detail, but right now I’m the only one who’s gonna jump in front of a bullet for you.”

David, “I’m sorry.”

Randy, “Yeah, I know. Just try to accept that you aren’t gonna have the normal life you’ve been dreaming about, okay?”

David, “I still want to be the one who picks up the food.”

Randy, “Whatever you say, man.”

  * David goes up to the counter of a deli. A girl, Leslie, counts money at the cash register.



David, “Hi, I’m here to pick up an order for David.”

Leslie doesn’t look up, “Yeah, hang on,” she looks up, “Oh, shit! Oh, fuck! Sorry!”

David, “It’s okay.”

Leslie, “I’m sorry it’s just… the guy I had a crush on in high school was in the AFG… He got killed at Nob. So it’s kind of crazy to see you here.”

David, “Oh. Uh, I’m sorry to hear that. We lost a lot of good people there.” Leslie keeps staring at him.

David, “Can I get my food, please?”

Leslie, “Oh, yeah, sorry!” She hurries to the back. David stands there awkwardly, while other people try not to stare at him. Leslie hurries back, holding four stacked food plates.

Leslie, “Okay, one regular sandwich plate, one kosher sandwich plate, a cheese plate, and a fruit and veggie plate, right?”

David, “Yeah.” He hands Leslie his card.

Leslie, “So… What you got planned?”

David, “Just a little get-together.”

A co-worker speaks up behind Leslie, “Prince Jack is leaving the hospital!”

Leslie, “Oh, seriously? Aaaw! Oh my god, you two have such a sweet story! You make me believe in true love!”

David, “Are you gonna give me my card back?”

Leslie, “Sorry!” She hands him his card. He sticks it back in his wallet.

Leslie, “Can I get a selfie?” Before David can answer, she turns around and snags a selfie. In the background, Randy laughs.

David, exasperated, “I have to get going.” He grabs the food and hurries out.

  * As David tries to load the trays of food into the SUV, a crowd of paparazzi snap his picture.



In his apartment, David navigates how to fit the food into a very full fridge.

Behind him, Abby says, “So she just fucking made seven pies?”

David, “That’s Mom for you. You and Michelle can take some of the leftovers. I know you both hate cooking.” He shuts the fridge door.

Abby, “Okay, so when am I supposed to start getting shit out of the fridge?”

David, “I dunno, when people start showing up, I guess.”

Abby, “Are you sure Jack will be up for a party?”

David, “Well, we’re not exactly throwing a massive rager. We don’t even have alcohol, Jack can’t drink any more, that causes seizures! Besides, if getting out of the hospital after five months doesn’t warrant a party, what does?”

Abby, “Alright, alright…” she thinks for a moment, “So, are you sure that you’re ready for all this?”

David, “Yeah. It’s just a party.”

Abby, “No, I mean like, Jack being home. Taking care of him.”

David, “Absolutely. I’m ready to devote my life to just Jack. I want this.”

Abby nods apprehensively, “Okay.”

David, “What?”

Abby, hesitant, “Michelle is worried that Jack’s gonna come home, and whenever he has a seizure, you’re gonna have a huge panic attack like you did at the hospital.”

David, “That only happened once. I didn’t know what was going on!”

Abby, “Yeah, Michelle said you’d say that. She said she told you about his seizures, exactly what happens, and you still freaked out.”

David, “I’m not gonna freak out again, okay? I’m prepared this time, and I’ve been working with Dr. Othman.”

There’s a knock at the door.

David looks at his watch, “Shit, it’s early!”

Abby, “It might be Frankie. He’s not great with clocks.”

David goes over to the door and answers it. Beth stands on the other side.

David, “Oh, shit.”

Beth, “It’s nice to see you, too, David.”

Abby looks over at the door, “Oh. Fuck. I should definitely get out of here.”

David, not taking his eyes off of Beth, “Yeah, maybe you should.”

Abby, “Yeah, I’m getting out of here.” She awkwardly slides past David and Beth and disappears.

David, “What- what are you doing here?”

Beth, “I was in town. I wanted to see you.”

David, “Um, Jack is coming home today, so if you want to say anything to me, you’re gonna have to make it quick.”

Beth, “Yeah, I know. And don’t worry.”

David, “All right. Come in.” He steps back, and Beth enters the apartment.

She looks around at the lux decor, “This is nice.”

David, “Yeah. Jack… Jack has a lot of money.”

Beth sits down and looks around.

David, “So, um, where- where have you been? I tried asking around after Council, everyone said you’d left.”

Beth, “I went back to Carmel.”

David, “Okay. Wh- what are you doing here?”

Beth looks David square in the eye, “David, you got me pregnant.”

David sinks down into a chair, numb with shock, “I- I… What?! I- I always used protection!”

Beth, “Yeah, you never did check the expiration date on those condoms, did you?”

David gapes at her, still utterly stunned.

Beth, “I had an abortion two days ago. It’s why I’m here in Shiloh.”

David’s heart shatters. He tries to swallow the hard lump in his throat, but it won’t go down, “Why are you telling me this?”

Beth, “I thought you deserved to know. You deserve to know that I could have ruined you, but I didn’t.”

David, “I- thank you. I think.”

Beth, “I thought about it. I really did. I could make your infidelity known to the whole world. But I don’t want that. I joined the AFG because I wanted to take my place in history. I don’t want that place to forever be the girl who fucked David Shepherd.”

David, “Beth, I am _sorry_.”

Beth, “Yeah, well, tell that to Ryan.”

David, “If you loved him so much why the fuck did you sleep with me?!”

Beth shakes her head, “You really have no idea, do you? The way you affect people. What people will just blindly give to you. How easy it is to fall in love with you.”

David, “I have said from the very beginning that I love Jack.”

Beth, “Your mouth said that. Your dick said something else.”

David stares, silenced.

Beth, “So it looks like you get what you want. Fuck everyone else, right? Who cares what all they sacrificed for? You’re fine. You have your boyfriend and his money, and you don’t have to worry about being king,” she smiles bitterly, “You abandoned the AFG, and now the whole fucking war we fought means nothing,” she sniffs, “I’m going back to Carmel. I hope I never see you again,” She stands up, “I’m lucky. I get to walk away. You don’t get to ruin my life completely.” She leaves.

David sits by himself, stunned and silent.

After a few long moments, Abby enters, “David, what the fuck was that?”

David, “Nothing.”

Abby, “Seriously? Nothing?”

David shakes his head, “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

  * Sundown, back in the SUV, David stares morosely out the passenger window as Randy drives.



Randy, “Hey, listen-”

David, “Not now, okay? I mean, I’m trying not to be an asshole, but I’m feeling a little overwhelmed right now.”

Randy sighs, “Sure thing.”

  * David walks into the lobby of the rehab center, where Jack’s suit-wearing palace security team waits for him.



The lead guy says into his earpiece, “Boyfriend is here.”

David, “Where’s Jack? I want to get out of here.”

Guy, “In his room. We have a few last-minute changes in the plan we need to make.”

David, “We’re just going home, how complicated does it have to be?”

Guy, “Our orders are to bring the prince to his new residence without him being seen.”

David rolls his eyes, “Whatever. Just let me go see him.”

  * Guy leads David down a hallway. One of the doors is open. Jack waits sitting in a wheelchair in a room full of security guys.



He sees David coming and smiles brilliantly, “Hey, babe!”

David smiles back at him, and kisses him on the cheek, “Hi, Jack.”

He stands up and looks at Jack’s security guys, “Can I have a moment alone with him, please?” The guys leave the room, and David shuts the door. He moves a seat over beside Jack’s wheelchair and sits down.

Jack, sensing something’s up, “What?”

David sighs, “Um, Beth showed up.”

Jack knits his brow in concern.

David, “It’s okay, she’s…. she’s not pregnant. She, um. She had an abortion.”

Jack doesn’t say anything.

David, “I thought it would be better telling you than not telling you. She- she said she never wanted to see me again, and I believe her, so, hopefully that’s something we don’t have to worry about in the future.”

Again, Jack doesn’t say anything.

David sighs heavily, “Are you okay?”

Jack, “Yeah.”

David, “Are you mad at me?”

Jack, “No.”

David, “You’re allowed to be mad at me.”

Jack, impatiently, “Home.”

David, “I kinda wish you’d be mad at me.”

Jack, “Home!”

David, “Okay.” He gets up and opens the door. He says to the security guy out there, “We’re ready to go.”

Security guy, “It’ll still take a few minutes. We’ve got a few delays.”

  * Out in the lobby of the rehab center, Jack’s lead security guy strains to keep his patience as he explains to David, “We were anticipating a discreet exit, but our plans relied entirely on keeping the date of the prince’s release secret. Right now, there’s an army of paparazzi all eagerly awaiting their chance to snap a picture of you two leaving.”



David, “What? Did somebody leak something?”

Behind Security Guy, Randy speaks up, trying not to laugh, “They knew Jack was getting out soon and then they saw you bringing home a bunch of catering and put it together there’s only one reason you’d be bringing home a bunch of catering.”

David, “Oh.”

Security guy, “Now we have to arrange three decoy vehicles so we can get you home safely!” Every single one of Jack’s security guys give David a dirty look.

Randy, “I tried to warn you, man.”

  * David sits scrunched down in the back of an SUV, where he can’t be photographed. Jack lays down across the seats, his head in David’s lap.



David, “Oh my god, I’m an idiot. This is all my fault.”

Jack laughs.

David, “It’s not funny!”

He looks up at the window above his head, which flashes with camera flashes. Jack reaches up and snakes his hand around the back of David’s head. He pulls him down and kisses him tenderly. David sighs and looks him in the eyes. Jack smiles at him.

David, “I’m bringing you home.”

Jack, “Home.”

  * Outside the apartment, David opens the door. Inside, Abby, Asher, Shay, Wednesday, Joel, Monique, Jessie, Frankie, and Rose all happily shout, “Jack!” He raises his fists in triumph. David helps him stand up, and then he takes a few slow, wobbly steps across the threshold, into the apartment. Everyone applauds for him. David beams with pride as he gently helps him sit back in his chair.



Rose comes up to him, “Welcome home, Jack.” She hugs him.

David turns to Abby, “Where’s Michelle?”

Abby, “She said she’ll be late.”

David, “Seriously?”

Abby, “She’s always late at the clinic!”

David, “Well, today’s kind of important.”

Cut to: David and Jack sit together on a sofa, everyone around them. Jack opens a gift box, revealing a neatly-folded AFG uniform with a BENJAMIN name tag.

Monique, “Didn’t seem fair that you were the only one without one.”

Jack smiles, “Perfect!”

The front door opens, Michelle comes in, still dressed in scrubs.

Everyone looks and greets her, “Michelle!”

She goes over to Jack, “I’m sorry I’m late.” She hugs him.

He holds up his uniform, “Look.”

Michelle, “Oh, you are going to look so good in that!”

David, “He already looks good.”

Michelle ignores him, “I’m gonna go put on something that doesn’t smell like cadaver, all right?”

Cut to: everyone mingles and chats.

Abby yells at Frankie, “Jesus, Frankie, I told you not to touch his head!” She hurries over and whaps Frankie’s hand as he reaches for Jack’s head, “That’s fucking rude!”

Jack looks up at her, “Thank you.”

Frankie, “What? He’s got metal plates and shit in there! That shit’s cool!”

Abby, “ASK before you TOUCH.”

Frankie, “Can I touch your head?”

Jack, “No.”

Elsewhere, Rose approaches Joel, “I’m trying to get to know Jack’s friends. You’re the anarchist, right?”

Joel, “I might be.”

Rose, “What’s your name, again?”

Joel, “Joel Bronikov.”

Rose, “Oh, Bronikov, you’re the one who did the prison break.”

Joel, “Yep.”

Rose, “You know, I think you’re the one who Silas was the most afraid of. He said any man who can count gangsters, thieves, and assassins among his friends is dangerous.”

Joel, flattered, “He did?”

Rose, “Oh, yes. But I’m sure all that danger is in the past, ever since the agreement.”

Joel, “Did Abner tell you to talk to me?”

Rose, “Linus kept me from visiting Jack when he was in the hospital. I’m not very fond of him these days.”

Joel, “Well, if you’re ever in the mood for a coup, all I need it access to the palace,” he looks at her, “Hypothetically, of course.”

Rose, “Of course.”

  * Everyone has left, except for Rose, Michelle, and Abby.



Rose talks to Jack, “I’ve been thinking quite a bit of how your father would feel about all this. I know he’d be so proud of how you’ve recovered, Jack.” She reaches out and holds his hands.

Michelle, quietly, “We’re all really proud of you.”

Jack smiles and doesn’t say anything.

Rose tears up, “I’ve heard so much said about Silas’s legacy. I hear so much about it being nothing but darkness and hurt, and I wonder, sometimes, if we did any good at all,” she sniffs, “But I look at you and your sister, and I know Silas left something good behind. You two are the best of him.”

Jack, “Mom.”

Rose hugs him and cries, “Just know that whatever happens, I love you so much, and I want you to be happy.”

  * David helps Jack into their bed, and then gets in at the other side. He gazes lovingly at him for a moment, and caresses his cheek.



He leans in and kisses him, slowly and lovingly. He moves to get on top of him, but Jack moves away slightly, “Tired.”

David shifts away, “Oh, that’s okay. That’s fine.” He caresses Jack’s cheek again, and kisses him. He gazes into Jack’s eyes, and then his eyes move to the scar on his forehead.

David, quietly, “Can I feel?”

Jack, “Yeah.”

Jack shuts his eyes, and David carefully traces the scar with his fingertips. He presses down gently, feeling the plate underneath. Carefully, he runs his fingers along the length of the incision scar, and then feels the seams where the skull was removed. Finally, he reaches the exit wound scar, and feels along the plate there.

David, “I made the right decision.”

  * The next morning, Rose sits by herself. She sips coffee and stares up at Silas’s portrait. Later, she goes into the council chamber and watches a meeting with Abner and his generals.



Abner, “I don’t understand, how do we not have more troops? With everyone divested off of the AFG, we should have more!”

A general, “It’s not enough. The way things are divided now, we will lose at both the Gath and Ammon fronts. If we take the troops off one front and move them to another, we may be able to push back enough to settle peacefully. At this point, it may just be best to give Carmel back to Ammon.”

Abner, “Silas won Carmel, I’m not going to lose it!”

General, “Then will you make peace with Gath?”

Abner, “No! There has to be a way we can win!”

General, “I don’t see how, sir.”

Rose gets up and leaves.

  * In the residence, Rose looks at a picture from Silas’s coronation: the two of them as a young couple, their children in their laps. She looks back up at Silas’s portrait.



Behind her, Thomasina enters the room, “You called for me, ma’am?”

Rose turns and looks at her, “Thomasina, if I ask you a question, will you answer me honestly?”

Thomasina, slightly confused, “Of course.”

Rose hesitates for a moment, and then says, “Do you believe this nation has a future with Linus Abner as king?”

Thomasina thinks for a moment, and then says, “No, I don’t.”

Rose, “Will you be willing to help me ensure that future?”

  * That evening, David cooks in the kitchen, Jack watching.



Jack’s phone rings, and he answers, “Hello?”

In the palace, Rose talks to him, “Hello, Jack. I just wanted to check in on you. How are you?”

Jack, “Good.”

Rose, “What’s David doing?”

Jack turns the video chat on, and points the phone at David, “Mom!”

David turns around, “Hi, Rose! I’m making dinner.”

Rose, “What are you making?”

David, “Chicken marsala. I thought it sounded good.”

Rose, “What did you two do today?”

David, “Nothing! Absolutely nothing! It was great!”

Rose, “Do you have any plans for this evening?”

David, “Eat dinner and watch _Real Housewives_.”

Rose, “Well, I’ll leave you two to it, then. Enjoy your evening.”

David and Jack, “Bye!”

  * Back in the residence, there’s a knock at the door. Rose answers, “Yes?”



Abner stands on the other side, “Good evening, Rose.”

Rose smiles congenially, “Thank you so much for accepting my invitation. Come in.” She leads Abner to a dining area where the table is set for dinner with three places.

Rose, “We’ll have to wait a bit, I have another guest coming.”

Abner, “Who?”

Rose, “Someone I’d very much like for you to meet. Would you care for some wine?”

  * Thomasina walks towards the front desk of the palace. Joel stands there.



Front desk secretary, “He’s been asking to see you."

Thomasina, “Mr. Bronikov, right?”

Joel, “Yeah, that’s me.”

Thomasina, “I’m very glad you’re here.”

  * Abner and Rose sit across from each other sipping wine.



Rose, “I wanted to speak with you.”

Abner, “About what?”

Rose, “Gilboa’s future.”

Abner, “It’s difficult to think about the future when-” He’s cut off by a knock at the door.

Rose smiles and sets her wine glass down, “Our guest is here.” She gets up, goes over to the door, and opens it. She steps aside, and Joel enters, drawing his gun. He fires, and Abner falls to the ground. Slowly, Joel, Rose, and Thomasina approach him. Abner sputters and clutches at the wound in his chest. He sees the blood on his hands and knows that he is mortally wounded.

Rose, “I’m sorry, Linus, but it had to be done.”

Abner, “You bitch! You evil bitch!”

Joel steps up to him, “This isn’t political,” he puts his foot on Abner’s chest, “Even though David is going to be king,” he raises the gun, “This is revenge for Isaiah Clemens.” He pulls the trigger.

  * David sits watching a fight on _Real Housewives_. Jack is curled up on his shoulder, dozing off slightly. David looks over at him lovingly, savoring what he finally has. The phone rings.



David, “Shit!” Jack sits up, and David goes to get the phone.

David, “Yes?” His face goes from annoyed to horrified, “What?” he listens to the response, “But _Real Housewives_ is on!”

  * The AFG flag waves on the flagpole outside the palace. Onlookers stop and gawk, along with a couple of TV cameras. David drives up, Abby in the passenger seat beside him, both wearing their AFG jackets. They both look at the flag.



David, “What the fuck.” He and Abby get out.

The reporters and TV cameras rush to him, “General Shepherd! General Shepherd! Has there been a coup?!”

David ignores them and hurries Abby into the palace. Rose is there waiting for them.

David, “What the fuck is going on?”

Rose, “Linus is dead. You’re king, now, David.”

David shakes his head, “No. No, that can’t happen.”

Abby, “Tell us exactly what happened.”

Rose, “I let Joel Bronikov into the palace and he killed Linus.”

David, “Joel?! Where is he?!”

Rose, “He’s upstairs, in the residence.”

David, “I have to talk to him.”

Rose, “He’ll tell you the same thing.”

David, shaking with anger, “Why? Why did you do this?!”

Rose, tears in her eyes, “You’re the only person who can save Gilboa, David. If Silas is going to have a legacy at all, you have to be king.”

David, “No! I never wanted to be king! I’m supposed to live a peaceful life with Jack!”

Abby, “David, are you actually refusing?”

David, “I never wanted to be king!”

Abby, “I’m gonna call Asher, Shay, and Monique here, okay? They’ll help us decide what to do.”

David stands there, bewildered and dismayed.

Rose, “Do you need a place to sit for a moment?”

  * David sits in a quiet room in the residence, still numb with shock.



Outside, an EMT crew load Abner’s body into a bag and load it onto a stretcher. Joel talks to Abby, Shay, Monique, and Asher at the other end.

Joel, “I did it for Isaiah. It’s an act of war, not murder.”

Abby, “Yeah, okay, this does give David legal grounds to be king. He just has to accept it, and be crowned.”

Monique, “Did he say no?”

Abby, “He’s… kind of freaking out.”

  * In the room, David still sits by himself.



From another room comes the sound of Emma screaming and sobbing, “No! No! No! No!”

· Outside, jubilant crowds light off fireworks, wave AFG flags and KING posters.

· Back in the hallway, Michelle pushes Jack in.

Abby sees them, “I told you not to come!”

Michelle, “I couldn’t fucking stay at the apartment, neither could Jack. What the fuck is going on? Why is the AFG flag flying?”

Abby, “Abner’s dead! David’s king!”

Jack, “What?!”

Abby, “David is king. If he accepts the crown.”

Jack, “Where?”

Abby points to the room where David is, “He’s in there by himself.”

Jack pushes himself into the room, “David?”

David looks up at him, tears in his eyes, “I told you to stay home. You have to stick to your sleep schedule.”

Jack goes over to him, and they look into each other’s eyes. Jack, “King?” David shakes his head. Jack takes his hands.

David, “I’m sorry.”

Jack’s eyes fill with tears.

David, “I’m sorry I can’t give you the quiet life I promised, the life with me I know you wanted. If you want to leave me behind, you can. But if you want to stay with me, you’re going to have to be a prince again.”

Jack, “David!” He hugs him tightly, and David cries.

· Outside, jubilant crowds cheer. Nervously, David steps out onto the balcony, where the AFG flag waves high on the flagpole. David walks over to the railing, and looks down.

The crowd roars for him, chanting, “King! King! King!”

David stares, utterly overwhelmed. The others come up behind him. David looks over at Jack, who smiles at him, and then stands up and puts his arm around his shoulders. Abby puts her arms around David and Michelle, and the others join with them. Shay laughs and smiles broadly. Monique and Asher join in. Jack kisses David’s cheek. David doesn’t smile.

  * Inside the council chamber, David sits in the king’s seat, everyone around him.



David looks at Jack, “Are you okay? Do you need to sleep?”

Jack, “Fine.”

David, “Okay.” He looks back at the others, “I sort of did think about what roles you all would take in the government. Abby, I guess it’s obvious, you’re Minister of State.”

Abby takes a deep breath, and a huge smile breaks over her face, “You have no idea how long I’ve dreamt of hearing those words.”

David, “Shay, you’re my army commander, of course. Asher, I want you as my chief advisor, unless you want to stay at the synagogue full-time.”

Asher, “I’ll be glad to be your chief advisor.”

David, “Okay. Monique, I want you to be Minister of Arts and Culture, which is going to be a really big deal with the changes that I want to make.”

Monique, “I’m honored.”

David, “Michelle, do you want to be Minister of Health?”

Michelle, “I want to finish med school.”

David, “Okay. I can find someone else,” he looks at Jack, “Jack… I always figured you’d be my Minister of Defense, and you still can be, but for right now, you have to stay focused on your recovery, okay? That’s what’s most important.”

Jack, “Okay.”

David looks at Joel, “Joel, I… I thought you’d be my Minister of Justice, but I’m not sure about it, now.”

Joel, “I’ll still do a good job.”

David, his voice rising, “The Minister of Justice is the most important job in my government, because he’s the one who’s supposed to keep me from becoming evil. I don’t know if I can trust you with that.”

Joel, “Do you actually feel bad for Abner?”

David, “I made peace with Abner. I told everyone to stop fighting. You disobeyed my orders.”

Joel, “It was for the right reasons.”

David, “That’s not yours to decide! I wasn’t supposed to become king like this!”

Joel, “Then how were you supposed to become king?”

David, “I don’t know!”

Joel, “Then I did the right thing!”

David jumps to his feet, “You disobeyed my orders! I was having a nice fucking evening and you ruined it! I didn’t even get to be alone with Jack for a full fucking day, now I’m thrown back into this shit with no warning and no say in it whatsoever! I give orders, and you follow them, that’s how this whole fucking being king thing works! You disobeyed my orders!”

Joel, “I got revenge.”

David, “I AM KING! I GIVE ORDERS, YOU FOLLOW!”

Suddenly, Jack falls back, and convulses on the floor.

David, “Jack!” He rushes over, followed by everyone else. David pushes Jack onto his side and takes his jacket and puts it under his head.

David, “Get back.”

Asher, “Is he okay?”

David, “He’s fine, he’s fine, this happens when he doesn’t sleep, you just have to let him ride it out.”

Joel steps forward, “Does he need-”

David snaps, “I SAID GET BACK!”

Everyone takes a step backwards.

David fumes and glares at Joel, “You didn’t even fucking ask me, hey, David, do you still want to be king?! Did it ever occur to you that maybe I’m fucking tired of fighting and I don’t want to do it anymore?!”

Joel, “David I’m-”

David interrupts him, “You disobeyed my orders, and now that I’m king, I can have you locked up! I have that authority! I can have you _killed_!”

David and Joel stare at each other, the weight of the last word hanging in between them. Jack stops convulsing, and lays limp on the floor.

David chokes up, “We’re supposed to be the good guys. How can we be the good guys when we do shit like this?” He gently caresses Jack’s cheek, and Jack turns his face towards David’s hand.

David sniffs and wipes a tear from his eyes, “How can I stop myself from becoming Silas?”

  * Asher hangs around in the living area of the residence. He looks up at the portrait of Silas. David enters.



Asher, “Is Jack okay?”

David, “Yeah. He’s sleeping in one of the guest rooms. I don’t think I’m gonna get any sleep, though. Abby and Michelle are gonna bring our uniforms in the morning, so, I guess I’ll have my coronation.” He sits down, exhausted. He sits for a moment in contemplation, and then says, “I never wanted to be king.”

Asher, “You still answered the call.”

David, “It was a stupid fucking mistake. I should have run away with Jack when I had the chance. None of this awful shit would have happened.”

Asher, “Silas would still be king. He’d continue to commit the same crimes he was committing before, and he’d groom Seth to do the same.”

David, “Yeah, but was it still worth the Amalekites?”

Asher, “I don’t know. I can’t tell you if it was worth anything. But you still chose to lead the AFG. You chose to challenge Silas, and then Abner. You may not have wanted to be a leader, but you led, and you led well. This is the next part of that. God is calling you, David. You have to answer.”

  * The next morning, jubilant crowds still surround the palace. Jumbotrons show a live feed from within the council chamber. The AFG flag waves proudly. David stands outside the door of the council chamber, dressed sharply in his uniform.



Thomasina stands by the door, “Are you ready?”

David takes a deep breath, and nods. ([“Hallelujah” Sheku Kanneh-Mason](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLd9PcZW5PQ))

Thomasina opens the door, and David enters the council chamber.

The room fills with applause and cheers. Jessie and his brothers are there, and so is Helen. Joel, Shay, Michelle, Abby, and Monique all wear their uniforms and applaud. Jack, also in his uniform, applauds and smiles proudly.

David looks around at the people he loves, overwhelmed and numb. Outside tears roar with pride and jubilation, and onlookers cry happily.

David’s eyes settle on the throne in front of him. It sits intimidatingly before him, and he stares it down, more terrified than he’s ever been of any enemy. Asher stands, Rose beside him, holding the crown of Gilboa.

Outside, the crowds cheer and watch the jumbotrons. AFG veterans cry and hug each other.

David steps up to the throne, stares at it for a moment, and then turns around and sits. His posture is stiff and awkward, but he gently allows himself to relax a bit into it. He looks up at Asher, who looks down at him reassuringly.

Asher, “Do you vow to faithfully and wholly serve the kingdom of Gilboa?”

David, quietly, “I do.”

Jessie weeps. Michelle holds Jack’s hand.

Asher, “Do you vow to fight to protect its citizens?”

David, slightly more confidently, “I do.”

Asher, “Will you lay down your life to defend your nation and kingdom?”

A single tear falls down David’s face, “I will.”

Asher, “Do you freely and willingly take this oath?”

David, “I do.”

Rose weeps, and then holds the crown up. Asher takes it, and holds the crown over David’s head for a moment. David shuts his eyes, and more tears fall down his face.

Gently, Asher places the crown on David’s head, “Then I hereby crown you, His Royal Majesty, King David Shepherd of Gilboa.” He steps back and kneels before David, followed by Rose. Michelle helps Jack stand, and then kneel along with everyone else.

Outside, everyone in the crowd kneels.

David looks out at them all, dismayed and astonished. He takes a deep breath, wipes the tears from his eyes, and gives his best smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's 2 more season left, one of which is written, and the other isn't. I'm gonna start pacing my episode updates to once a week so I have more time to work on Season 7 so we're not going weeks between updates as I take time to write. It might come to that, but we'll get there when we get there.
> 
> Also... did I accidentally predict something last week?


	50. S6, E1: Meteor Showers

**Meteor Showers**

David and Jack sleep curled up in bed. Morning light shines over them, and outside their window, Shiloh wakes up. David opens his eyes and looks out over the scene. He takes it in for a moment, and then turns to Jack. He kisses him gently on the forehead. Jack opens his eyes and looks up at David.

David grins at him, “Good morning.”

Jack grins back, and kisses David on the lips. They enjoy a long, slow kiss, and David moves to get on top of Jack. There’s a knock at the door, and David rolls off.

Thomasina’s voice, “Sir, you have a meeting in ten minutes!”

David rubs his face, “Okay, thank you!”

He looks back over at Jack, “Sorry. I have to go do king shit.”

  * David pulls a sweater over a button-down shirt and a clean pair of blue jeans. He adjusts his collar as Jack looks on.



David, “Not the most kingly outfit in the world, but it’ll have to do until I get some fancier clothes.”

Jack, “Sexy!” He smacks David’s ass.

David laughs and looks at Jack for a moment. He goes over and kneels down so he can be eye to eye with Jack, “I really wish I could do to therapy with you today like we planned.”

Jack, “Okay.”

David, “Listen, if you need me, don’t hesitate at all. I’ll come to you, no matter what else is going on.”

Jack, “Don’t worry.”

David kisses Jack’s forehead, “I love you.”

  * Thomasina waits outside the door. The door opens and David steps out.



Thomasina, “Good morning, your majesty.”

David, “Oh, Jesus, don’t call me that.”

Thomasina, “It’s your title. You should get used to it.”

David, “Sorry.”

Thomasina, “Don’t apologize, either.”

David, “S- I…” he sighs in defeat, “Okay.”

Thomasina, “Ms. Hatch, Rabbi Levinson, General Mendoza, and Ms. Broadnax are in the council chamber, waiting for you, as you requested.”

David, “Thanks.”

Thomasina, “Is there anything else you need?”

David, “Uh, I’m good, I-” he thinks for a moment, “Well, I… There’s one thing.”

Thomasina, “Yes?”

David, “I have to be able to take care of Jack. I mean, he’s going really well with his recovery, but… he needs me, sometimes. I need to be able to go to him. No questions asked, just drop everything and go to him.”

Thomasina, “That can be tricky, but it can be done. King Silas would do the same when Princess Michelle was sick.”

David, “Good! That’s great! I’m really glad!” He smiles brightly at Thomasina, and she gives him a small smile back. David, “I really appreciate this. I mean, scheduling a coup can’t be easy, but you’re doing it.”

Thomasina, “I’m serving my country, sir.”

  * David goes into the council chamber, wearing a sweater and blue jeans. The gallery is empty, except for Rose, and everyone else (also dressed rather casually) sits around the table.



David, “Good morning. Uh, I know I should probably be dressed a little bit nicer, but uh, the only nice suit I have right now is my uniform, and it’s starting to smell kinda funky.”

Monique, “First of all, that’s what dry cleaners are for, and secondly, I already have a team of tailors set to work.”

David, “Oh, sweet. So, what’s on the agenda?”

Asher, “We need to fill the rest of the ministry positions.”

David, “What else is there to fill?”

Asher, “Minister of defense, Minister of health, Minister of infrastructure, Minister of education, Minister of Treasury, Minister of communications, minister of agriculture, minister of land, minister of energy.”

David, “Okay, well, I guess I don’t need to fix what isn’t broken, so set up meetings with the old ministers from under Silas, if I think they’ll do good, they can keep their position.”

Abby speaks up, “There’s also this.” She raises a remote and turns on a TV.

The old Minister of State, Claude Sorenson, talks on a news channel, “NEPOTISM! I’ve diligently served Gilboa for nearly twenty years, I have negotiated countless deals and treaties for King Silas and King Linus, and now, suddenly, I’ve been replaced by a little girl with almost no experience!”

David, “What? That’s bullshit, I wouldn’t have appointed any of you if I didn’t know that you’re good at what you do. And, I don’t know this guy, I have no relationship with him, he doesn’t know how I work or what I want, but Abby does!”

Monique, “The minister of communication would be the one to say all this.”

David, “Do you want to be the minister of communication?”

Monique, “I can’t run two ministries at once, and I’d rather be in arts and culture.”

David sighs heavily, “Okay, well, I guess that’s the first position I’ll try to fill.” David looks back up at Sorenson on the TV, and sighs, “Can I also say that with Gilboa being almost constantly at war for over twenty years, Sorenson was doing a pretty shitty job?”

Rose speaks up, “You don’t want to use those exact words, but you can say as much, easily.”

David looks up at her, eyebrows raised in surprised.

Rose goes on, “And you’re right to choose Abby over Claude. He’s a moron.”

David, “Thanks.” He turns back to everyone else, “Okay, what’s next?”

Shay speaks up, “How the fuck are we gonna integrate the AFG into the army?”

David, “Ooooh, yeah, that’s gonna be tough. I guess we should put our AFG veterans as priority number one, until everything’s integrated, at least. I want everyone who’s still living in the MSS building to have the option of joining the army as regular soldiers, and given preference in leadership positions.”

Shay, “We’re gonna get a lot of bitching from old army soldiers if we do that.”

David, “Well, they shoulda thought about that when they stayed on Silas’s side!”

Rose, “Do not say that.”

David sighs, “Well, am I wrong for not wanting the army to lead a coup?! My AFG soldiers have stuck with me through some shit, I want to reward them for that.”

Asher, “Rewarding loyalty is a quick way to ensure that everyone just gives you what they think you want rather than what you need.”

David, “This is different, and you know it is. You know what the AFG’s been through, what we’ve sacrificed. And…” he sighs, “It won’t be straight-up favoritism. If the old army officers can prove that they deserve their positions more than my AFG officers, they can keep them. But I’m not bad for not wanting a coup, okay?”

Shay, “Okay, that’s fair. It’s still gonna be a bitch of a job, but I’ll see what I can do. Is there anything else you want me to cover?”

Asher, “I think just focus on filling in those minister positions.”

David, slightly hesitant, “Actually… I do kind of have an idea about who to appoint as minister of defense until Jack can take it over.”

Asher, “Who?”

David, “Caesar Reinhardt.”

Joel, “No. No fucking way. That asshole is responsible for at least half of the names that got painted on the MSS building.”

David, “That’s an exaggeration.”

Asher, “He’s still responsible for a good number of those names.”

David, “Look, I know it seems crazy but… I did kind of get to know him when we were roomies, okay? He’s actually smart, and he knows what he’s doing.”

Shay, sarcastically, “Yeah, what were you saying about not wanting a coup? No way Reinhardt doesn’t try to kill you two weeks after you appoint him.”

David, “It’s temporary! Like I said, it’s only until Jack is recovered enough to take the job over!”

Asher, “When is recovered enough?”

David, “I don’t know, Dr. Hussein said that we should have an idea of what his abilities will end up being at about a year after the injury, so another six months?”

Abby, “David, recovery can take years. Dr. Hussein also said that his recovery can stop at any time. We don’t know how much he’s going to recover.”

David, “Well, as long as he’s still making progress, I intend to give him that position, okay? You all know that he’d be good at it! In the meantime, Reinhardt, at least, I know respects me, and will be respected by the old army men, and can maybe even help us end both of these wars without a complete surrender.”

Asher, Shay, and Abby exchange looks.

Asher, “You’re the king, man.”

David, “I’ll talk to him, at least, okay? Is there anything else to discuss right now?”

Asher, “What are you going to do about Joel?”

David, quietly, “I don’t know. I’ve still got to think about it.”

Asher, “A lot of shit, but those are the most pressing issues.”

David, “Okay,” he looks up at Thomasina, “Schedule appointments with Reinhardt and all the old ministers, I’d like to talk to them today and tomorrow, if that’s doable.”

Thomasina, “Right away, sir.”

Abby, “Shaw wants to talk to you today.”

David, “What?”

Abby, “Shaw wants to talk to you. If you’re serious about the whole peace with Gath thing, you need to talk to him.”

David, trying to push his anger away, “Alright, alright. I’ll talk to him. What about Warner? Does he want to talk?”

Abby, “I think he’d rather just keep fighting. We’ll probably have to be the ones who insist on talking.”

David, “Okay.”

Thomasina, “You have some coronation gifts you might want to take a look at, and there’s someone you should meet today.”

David, “Who?”

Thomasina, “You’ll know who they are when you meet them.”

  * In the palace garage sits a shiny, bright red vintage convertible. David enters with Asher and Thomasina.



Immediately his eyes widen in delight, “YES!” He runs up to the car, “Oh, this is nice!”

Thomasina, “It’s a coronation gift from Dwight Garner.”

David hugs the hood, “I like being king!”

Asher sighs disapprovingly, “David, this is a bribe.”

David shoots up, “No! This is too nice to be a bribe!”

Asher, “You have to give it back.”

David, “NO!”

Asher, “If you keep it, it’ll look like you’re for sale.”

David, “I’m not for sale! I just like getting nice cars!”

Asher, “So when Dwight Garner asks you for a political favor, are you going to say no?”

David, “Of course!”

Asher, “Are you sure?”

David, “I’m sure!”

Asher, not convinced, “Give it back.”

David, “I deserve a nice car! I’ve earned it!”

Asher, “Give it back.”

David, “Oh, come on! Please?!”

Asher, “Give it back.”

  * Thomasina leads David down into the dungeons.



David looks around and shudders, “Ugh, I remember this place.”

Thomasina, “There’s someone in here for you to meet.” She unlocks the door to Vesper’s cell.

David goes in, and stops when he sees Vesper, “Oh, shit.”

Vesper, “Hello, your majesty. Do I need to introduce myself?”

David points at him, dumbstruck, “You’re the guy I was talking to when I was in here.”

Vesper smiles, “I seem to remember a certain young man bravely facing his death. I knew that if I ever spoke to him again, he would be king.”

Bewildered, David sits down, “I knew I’d have to deal with some weird shit being king, but I honestly had no idea how weird.”

Vesper, “I promise you, it only gets weirder from here.”

David sits and stares at him.

Vesper, “Do you play chess at all?” He moves the board towards David.

David, “I know how to play but I’m not that good.”

Vesper, “You out-witted both Silas and Linus, I’d venture to say you’re good.”

David, “Silas killed himself so Shaw wouldn’t kill him, and Joel Bronikov was the one who got Abner. I didn’t do any of that.”

Vesper, “Don’t fool yourself, David, none of that would have happened if it weren’t for you.”

David, chagrined, “A lot of awful shit wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for me.”

Vesper, “I’ve had fifteen years to sit in a cell and ruminate over my bitterness and regret. I have a lot more things to regret than you, so believe me when I tell you, dwelling on a past you can’t change won’t do you any good.”

David, “I’ve inherited Silas’s war with Ammon, and it’s not going well.”

Vesper, “The night I arrived here, I warned Silas that Warner won’t rest until Carmel is his. Kings are inherently greedy bastards. Warner’s self-righteousness only makes him worse.”

David, “Yeah, no shit.”

Vesper, “The things you learned about me in school were true: I was an absolutely terrible king. I believed I was doing God’s work, but I ended up doing things I can only describe as unholy. I can’t tell you what to do, but I can tell you what not to do. Silas seemed to take heed of the advice I gave him, but, you saw what happened to him.”

David, “I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing. At this point, even bad advice is better than nothing.”

Vesper, “Well, then, you know where I’ll be.”

David, “I’m gonna send my minister of state in to talk to you. I think she’ll have a better idea of what to do with you.”

  * David walks down a hallway, mulling over what just happened. He reaches a door, opens it, and goes into the waiting area outside of the king’s office- now his office. Liam and Adam are waiting for him. They both stand up.



Liam, “Your majesty!”

David smiles sheepishly at him, “Yeah, that’s what people are calling me these days.”

Liam, “Come on, man, we’ve kind of earned the right to say it.”

David, “Yeah, okay, you have. Let’s talk in… well, fuck, now I guess it’s _my_ office.” He opens the door and leads them in. Nothing has been touched since Abner last stepped foot in it. David goes over to the desk and sees the papers still stacked there, “Ah, fuck, someone’s gonna have to sort this shit out.”

Adam looks up at the skull on the bookshelf, “Is that thing real?”

David looks up, “Uh, yeah, actually, it is. It’s not just real, it’s Nicholas Achison.”

Liam, “Are you fucking kidding me?”

David, “Silas was a sick fuck, what can I say?”

Liam, “Wonder what he did with Vesper Abbadon.”

David, “Trust me, you don’t want to know. Anyway, sit.” He sits down at the desk. Liam and Adam sit across from him.

David wiggles the seat a little bit, “Shit, this is still really weird. I spent plenty of time in you guys’ spot, and when I was there, I honestly never once thought that I’d be sitting on the other side.”

Adam, softly, “What are we here for?”

David gets a little bit more serious, “Look, I’ve got a lot of positions that I’ve gotta fill, and I honestly have no idea who’s gonna fill most of them. However, when I started thinking about who should be working where, right away, I knew who my first appointments would be. Adam, I want you working as my spokesman for the army. My old job.”

Adam, nervously, “Seriously?”

David, “Yeah. Liam, you’re gonna be doing something similar, except instead of speaking for the whole army, you’re gonna be speaking for the AFG.”

Liam, “Yeah, I can do that!”

Adam, “Wait, what- what is this job, and why do you want us to do it?”

David, “Like I said, it’s my old job. You go in front of a TV camera, you represent the army, tell people what’s going on.”

Adam, “Like, on TV?”

David, “Yeah. You don’t have to do it, but… it’s a good fucking job. I mean it. I’m not just putting you guys there so you can be there indefinitely, it opens you up to connections and possibilities you didn’t even know were out there. I mean, fuck, look what it did for me.”

Liam, “I’m in!”

David, “Awesome!”

Liam, “I just got one question, why does Adam get the bigger job?”

David, “Well, if I have to be brutally honest, Adam has a few more hero points. He did blow up a tank, right? That seems to be the biggest qualifier for this job.”

Liam laughs, “Yeah, okay, man, sounds good.”

David glances at Adam, “What do you think?”

Adam, “It’s… a lot.”

David, “You don’t have to decide right away. I can give you a week or two to think it over.”

Adam, “No, no, I appreciate this. I really do. This is a huge favor for me, and It’d be really stupid of me to turn it down.”

David, “Hey, I just thought you’d be a good fit because the hero shit made you pretty popular. If you don’t want to do it, I can easily find you another really good job you’re better suited to.”

Adam, “No, I- I’m willing to do this. I can do it, I just…”

David, “What?”

Adam, “I’m not gonna have to lie to people, am I?”

David, confused, “What? No. All along, I’ve said that I won’t lie like Silas did. You’ll probably have to report some difficult stuff, but, it’ll be the truth.”

Adam nods apprehensively, “Okay.”

David, “But, hey if you want something else, it’s no problem.”

Adam, “I’ll do it. I’m glad to serve my king.”

David grins ear to ear, “You have no idea how happy that makes me. Really. I wanted something good for you guys, and this is it. This is gonna take you to amazing places. Just don’t end up trying to overthrow me, okay?”

  * David leads Liam and Adam out of his office. Reinhardt sits in the waiting room. Adam sees him and halts, his smile faltering.



Liam spots him, too, and says to David, “What the fuck is he doing here?”

Reinhardt, “Nothing like a warm welcome.”

David, “Don’t worry about it, I’m just exploring some possibilities, okay?”

Liam, “Seriously, man?”

David, “You guys don’t have to worry about it, okay? I’ll see you later.”

Liam and Adam exchange glances, shrug, and the leave, saying, “See you.”

Once the door closes, Reinhardt says, “So is this a job interview, or am I on trial?”

David, “We’ll talk about it in my office."

Reinhardt sits down across from him, “You’re gonna re-decorate, right?” He glances over at the framed photos on the desk: one of Emma and one of young Silas and Abner as buddies in the army.

David, “Yeah, but, I’ve kind of got a few more pressing issues to deal with.”

Reinhardt, “You keep saying that, you’ll never get around to changing anything.”

David, “You’re aware that I have a lot of people saying you should be hanged, right?”

Reinhardt, “Yes.”

David, “I don’t entirely disagree with them. It’d be kind of fucked up if you get away without consequence.”

Reinhardt, “Is that’s why I’m here? You wanted to give me a death sentence in person?”

David, “I’m not handing down death sentences. All citizens of Gilboa are going to be guaranteed the right to a fair trial.”

Reinhardt, “So am I charged with anything, then?”

David, “I’m gonna give you a chance to redeem yourself.”

Reinhardt, “Oh?”

David, “I want you to be my minister of defense, at least until Jack’s recovered enough that he can take it over. If you go a good job and help me get out of Silas’s wars… I’ll let your past slide.”

Reinhardt, “Seriously?”

David, “This government’s killed enough people. I don’t want to keep spreading misery. Besides, I’m kind of short on officers with years of experience, and, well… I think you’d do a good job.”

Reinhardt, “Well, you’re king, and your word is law.”

David, “So, will you take the position?”

Reinhardt, “Can’t really turn it down, can I?”

David, “I guess you can’t.”

David’s phone buzzes. He takes it out of his pocket, sees the call is from Abby.

David, “I should probably take this.”

Reinhardt, “Go ahead.”

David answers, “Yes?”

Abby, outside of Vesper’s cell, “VESPER FUCKING ABBADON?!”

David, “Okay, first of all, this is Silas’s fault, and secondly, can we use him as leverage?”

Abby, “You could have at least fucking warned me before you sent me to talk to a genocidal psychopath!”

David, “I’ve talked to him a few times, and he’s actually kind of chill?”

Abby, “What part of genocidal psychopath did you not understand?!”

David, “It’s your job to figure out what to do with him.”

Abby, “No, fuck you, you are not passing this off on to me! You’re the one taking on Silas’s problems, and this is a massive fucking problem!”

David, “I’m giving it to you because you’re the one who’s going to know what to do. If we want to get out of war with Ammon without handing over all of Carmel, we should consider using him as a bargaining chip.”

Abby sighs and rubs her face, “Oh, fuck.”

David, “You didn’t actually think this whole minister of state thing would be easy, did you?”

Abby, “No, but it would have been nice to at least have gotten a fucking warning before you sprang this shit on me.”

David, “I didn’t get a warning, either.”

Abby, “All right, I’ll talk to him, try to figure something out. Are there any other weird Silas secrets that I need to know?”

David, “Probably, but I don’t know what they are, either. I’ll talk to you later.” He ends the conversation.

Reinhardt, “Oooh, you just found out about Abbadon, didn’t you?!”

David, “What?”

Reinhardt, “Right after I rescued all those soldiers, Silas invited me up to the residence for some drinks, and he ended up telling me a bunch of shit that he probably shouldn’t have. That was when I knew that he liked me.”

David, “He invited me up for drinks once, but he just ended up yelling at me about art, and then made me play the piano.”

Reinhardt, “Ha, see, he didn’t like you.”

David, “He brought me out to meet Seth. Did he do that with you?”

Reinhardt, “Seth was still an infant when I was still going through my hero phase, I don’t think he’d let anyone meet him at that point.”

David, “Yeah, sure, you keep telling yourself that.”

Reinhardt rolls his eyes, “Is there anything you want me to get started on as your minister of defense?”

David, “I’m meeting with Shaw in a little while. Might be a good thing if you were there.”

Reinhardt, “All right.”

  * David stands out on the back balcony of the palace, looking out over the landscaping, deep in thought. Abby approaches.



He looks over at her, “Hi.”

Abby leans against the wall, “I’m officially terrified of what else Silas might have been hiding.”

David, “I told Thomasina to take Achison’s skull out of my office. I couldn’t do any work with it staring at me.”

Abby, “I’m sure Shaw would love to have it back. We just can’t act like we’re desperate to get rid of it.”

David, “Good idea.” He leans his head back and sighs, “I’ve been dreading this meeting.”

Abby, “You already faced Shaw at Council. This we can at least do over video conference.”

David, “I know, but it doesn’t get any easier. I listen to Jack speaking, and I know he wants to tell me things, but he can’t. He gets so frustrated, and when I see it, all I want to do is make Shaw pay.”

Abby, “Well, considering Gath is currently kicking Gilboa’s ass, he kind of has the upper hand.”

David, “He’s gonna rub it in our faces, too. He’s nothing if not petty as fuck. Which is kind of why I want Reinhardt for minister of defense. Shaw hasn’t hurt him, he can’t pick at him like he can with me.”

Abby, “You’re king, David. You can do whatever you want.”

David, “I want to take Jack and get the fuck out of this place, that’s what I want to do.”

  * David, Abby, Shay, and Reinhardt sit in the council chamber, video conferencing with Shaw. They’re all exhausted, and the sun is going down outside.



David, with his fingers pressed against his forehead, “CrossGen is not going to resume manufacturing in Gath!”

Shaw, “And why not?”

David, “Because you fucking shot the person who owns it!”

Shaw, “You say you want a peace agreement, and these are my terms.”

Reinhardt, “If you think that just because we want peace, we aren’t willing to fight, you are very mistaken, Your Excellency. I’ve been on the wrong end of the Army of Free Gilboa before, and believe me, you don’t want to be there.”

Quietly, without being noticed, Rose enters.

Shaw, “If you wish to keep fighting, that’s your decision.”

Abby, “I know you’re willing to make compromises, otherwise you wouldn’t be speaking to us. I’ve made deals with you before, and I can do it again. I know being able to put Premier Achison properly to rest means an awful lot to you and your family, and we very much want to give that to you, but we need something in return.”

Shaw, “I’ve waited twenty years. I can wait longer.”

David leans back, “Oh, for fuck’s sake, stop being such a dick!”

Rose hurries up behind David, “Good evening, Gerald. I know how much you love dragging these meeting out, but it’s getting late, and I have dinner waiting. I’m afraid we’ll have to pick this conversation up again later.”

Shaw, “Coming to the rescue, Rose?”

Rose, “Consider yourself lucky that David believes in peace more than he wants revenge, because he’s not the only person in Gilboa who’d love to see your palace in flames. David doesn’t owe you a single fucking thing, and to act like you’re the one holding all the cards is simply absurd. We’re going to go to dinner now. Good night, Gerald.” She turns the TV off. She looks down at Shay, Reinhardt, and Abby, “You all go home. Abby, I know Michelle is waiting for you.”

They all look at David.

David, “She’s right, go home. Get some rest.”

Shay, “All right. See you tomorrow, David.”

Reinhardt, “When are you going to make an announcement about my position?”

David, “I dunno, whenever I can. I still need a minister of communications.”

Reinhardt, “I’ll be back tomorrow, then.” He leaves. David turns to Abby.

Abby, “The fact that nobody’s crying is a good thing. We actually did okay today.”

David, “Yeah, I hope.”

Abby gives him a big hug, “You really are doing good.”

David, “Thanks, Abby.”

She steps back, “Go enjoy your dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

David, “Okay, see you.”

  * Rose and David stand in an elevator together.



Rose, “You have to shut Gerald off, or else he’ll drag things on forever.”

David, “Yeah, I’m starting to realize that.”

Rose, “He’s difficult to contend with, but not impossible. Right now, he’s looking for your weaknesses.”

David, “He knows my weaknesses. He saw what happened at Council.”

Rose, “All the more reason to know when to cut him off.”

David, “Do I get to call him Gerald?”

Rose, “You can, but Silas did it because he wanted to insult him."

The elevator dings open, and they go into the residence. The furniture that was once in their apartment has been moved in, but lots of things are still packed in stacked boxes. Jack sits in the kitchen with a large pizza on the table.

He smiles up at David, “Hey, babe.”

David, “Oh my god, pizza sounds so good right now.” He kisses Jack on the cheek and then reaches for a slice.

David and Jack chow down on pizza while Rose eats a salad.

David, “How was speech today?”

Jack, “Good.”

Rose, “Jack’s making good progress. His therapist says there’s reason to be optimistic.”

David, “Finally, some good news.”

Jack gestures around to the space behind him, “Stuff came.”

Rose, “Everything’s been shipped over from the apartment.”

David, “I spent two months building us the perfect apartment and you only got to spend one night in it.”

Jack struggles to say what he’s thinking, “Stuff… here.”

David, “Yeah, we’ve still got the stuff, but the apartment had a nice open concept and great acoustics.”

Rose, “You’re the king. You can knock down a few walls.”

David, “Most importantly, I had everything custom-designed to be assessable for Jack. This place has an upstairs and a downstairs, and he can’t handle stairs yet.”

Jack, “I will.”

David, “Yeah, I know, but I still want to at least get an elevator installed.”

Jack, annoyed, “D-don’t need.”

David, “Yes, you do, even when you can walk again, you still get dizzy spells, remember?”

In frustration, Jack tries to change the subject, “You?”

David, “What?”

Jack, “Your day.”

David, “Oh,” he sighs heavily, “It’s been a long one.”

Rose, “It’s not going to get easier.”

David, “I know. Leading the AFG never got any easier, I don’t expect leading Gilboa to be any different.”

Rose, “I know you think the last six months were the worst months of your life. I’ll tell you right now, you’re wrong. The next six months will be. That’s how it was for Silas.”

David, “Can I at least enjoy my pizza before you get into how miserable I’m gonna be?”

Rose, “You need to hear it.”

David, “I know, I know.”

Rose, “You need to look out for yourself. You need to know when to say no. You need to know when to lean on those who love you.”

David, “Laura said as much to me when I met her.”

Rose, “She was right.”

David, “I spent all afternoon talking to Shaw. I can’t look him in the face without feeling like I’m back there on Mt. Gilboa…” he drifts off, and then changes the subject, “Sorry. I should probably talk about this with my therapist instead of you two.”

Rose, “We both know what happened. There’s no use in pretending it didn’t.”

David, “Doing the right thing absolutely fucking sucks.”

Rose, “Gerald is testing you, and you stood up to him. He knows that you’re serious about peace, but you won’t just capitulate to his demands.”

David groans and rubs his face, “Yeah, I stood up to him today, but it’s not gonna be the last time I have to deal with him. My confirmation Council is coming up.”

Rose, “If you’re scheduling things, already, you should decide who you want to do your first interview as king.”

David, “What?”

Rose, “Journalism is the first draft of history. You have reporters lining up to be the first to interview you, many of whom work for news outlets willing to pay you quite a good bit of money.”

David, “I have money.”

Rose, “And a palace living space that needs remodeling.”

David thinks for a moment, and then says, “Do you want to be my minister of communications?”

Rose, “Pardon?”

David, “I need one, and you seem to understand this whole being royal business pretty well. Would you be up for the job?”

Jack, “Do it!”

Rose, “I don’t want to be in the business of flattering you.”

David, “I don’t need someone who’s just gonna flatter me, I need someone who’s gonna be able to say what I need to say. You get to be the one who acknowledges it when I fuck up.”

Rose, “You can’t fuck up when you’re king.”

David, “Silas fucked up plenty of times.”

Jack, “Plenty!”

Rose, “I’ll consider it.”

David, “Well, hurry it up, will you? I need to be seen doing shit.”

Rose, “Fine. I’ll take the job.”

Jack, “Yes!”

David, “It’s good to know I can get at least one thing done.”

Rose, “I will take the job on the condition that when I give you advice, you actually listen to me.”

David, “Are you gonna be giving me orders?”

Rose, “Advice, not orders.”

David, “So what more advice do you have?”

Rose, “Plenty. I know you’re the self-sacrificing type. You always put yourself last. You won’t last a month as king if you keep doing that. You have an entire country that depends on your well-being, so now you have to take your well-being seriously. Be selfish and know when to step away.”

David, “Is it a bribe if I accept a really nice car as a coronation gift?”

Rose, “It’s not a bribe if you pay for it.”

  * A fake press podium is set up on a set draped with AFG flags.



An announcer, “And now a word from King David of Gilboa…” The comedian version of David steps up to the podium, and the TV audience cheers with unbridled enthusiasm. Comedian David raises his hand and the cheering stops.

Comedian David, “First of all, I would like to apologize to Queen Laura, you are no longer the world’s hottest monarch.”

Curled up with the real David, Jack laughs.

David makes a face of displeasure, “Jesus, that’s so sexist.”

Jack, “Funny!” David rolls his eyes. On the table beside him, his phone buzzes.

David, “Shit!” He grabs it and looks at it.

Jack, “What?”

David, “Oh, it’s nothing. The Perseid meteor shower starts tonight. I set a reminder because I wanted to go watch it with you.”

Jack concentrates, “Don’t…” He tries to say the next word, but it doesn’t come. He sighs with frustration.

David puts his phone down, “I’m tired. Are you ready for bed?”

Jack, “Yeah.”

David gets up, goes over to Jack, and helps him get up, “Let’s get you in there, then. At least we can sleep in our own bed tonight.”

Carefully, he leads him towards the stairs. Jack clutches the railing and leans his weight on David as, slowly, shakily, one by one, they mount each step.

  * David and Jack lay in bed together, Jack curled up in David’s arms. David sticks his nose into Jack’s hair, and strokes his head. Jack puts his hand on David’s arm.



David, softly, “Things would be a lot better if I’d at least had a little bit of time with you. Joel could have at least waited a couple of weeks to kill Abner.”

  * Thomasina and Abby wait outside David’s door. The door opens and David comes out.



Thomasina, “Good morning, sir.”

Abby, “I’ve outlined an entirely new foreign policy towards Gath, you need to look over it.”

David, “Did you get any sleep last night?”

Abby, “I’ve had this in my head since I was twelve.”

Thomasina, “Premiere Shaw is ready to speak with you.”

David, “Already?”

Thomasina, “He hates waiting. General Mendoza and Minister Reinhardt are already speaking to him.”

David, “I kind of have a few people I’d like to talk to this morning.”

Abby, “Talk to them. With my new policy outline, I can bullshit Gerald for hours!”

David, “You do that, then. I already have someone waiting for me.”

  * Out on a balcony, Jessie sips a cup of coffee and looks out over the city skyline. The weather is grey and overcast. A door opens, and David steps out.



Jessie looks over and sees him, “Hi, baby!”

David, “Hey, Mom.” He goes over and hugs her.

Jessie, “I just got this cup of wonderful coffee.”

David, “Yeah, they have good stuff here. I can get those whenever I like.”

Jessie laughs, “It’s good to be king!” She looks out over the city, “This view is incredible!”

David, “Not many people get to see it.”

Jessie, “Thank you so much for inviting me up here!”

David, “Hey, Mom, I um, I wanted to ask you something.”

Jessie, “What is it?”

David, “Do you think you’d like to live here?”

Jessie, “Don’t kid with me like that. Me? In a palace?”

David, “No more ridiculous than the idea of me in a palace. There’s an empty apartment where Emma Abner used to live, I want you to have it.”

Jessie, “I really am fine where I am.”

David, “Yeah, well, my new security team isn’t. And besides, the king’s mom can’t live in a tiny crappy apartment by herself. You can visit me every day. Have lunch with Jack. I know he’d enjoy that.”

Jessie, “That does sound nice. But what would I even do here? You know how much I hate having nothing to do.”

David, “The palace needs a hostess. Used to be Rose’s job, but she’s gonna be minister of communications now. You can be in charge of all the fancy dinners and entertaining foreign leaders.”

Jessie, “You know I’d be terrible at all that stuff. I’m the least fancy person in the world!”

David, “Yeah, but, you’re my mom. Trust me, that earns you a few fancy points.” He smiles.

Jessie has to laugh, “Am I going to have to wear a tiara?”

David, “Only at state dinners and formal galas.”

Jessie, “Are you serious?!”

David, “Oh, yeah. Michelle explained it to me a long time ago, there’s a whole protocol for wearing tiaras.”

Jessie laughs some more, “You know the last time I wore a dress was the day I married your father.”

David, “We’ll have to get you a stylist. Trust me, between Monique and Jack, you will always look good.”

Jessie laughs some more, “Oh, David.” She gazes adoringly at her son.

David grows more serious, “Besides, I feel awful about everything I put you through. This doesn’t come close to repaying it, but it’s a place to start.”

Jessie, “You don’t have to repay anything.”

David, completely serious, “I want you to live here, Mom.”

Jessie leans against David’s arm, “Okay.”

David, smiling, “You will?”

Jessie, “Yes, I will.”

David, “Oh, thank god!”

Jessie, “Can I have lunch with you today?”

David, growing serious again, “Uh, I’m busy today. Jack has therapy in the morning and in the afternoon, but I think you can grab some lunch with him. I’ll have Thomasina set it up. Jack will actually be really glad to hear you’re moving in.”

Jessie, “What’s got you so busy today?”

David, “I, uh- I’m negotiating a cease-fire with Premier Shaw.”

Jessie, “Oh, David.”

David, “It’s okay, Mom. I talked to him yesterday, and I sat across from him at Council. I can handle it.”

  * Joel sits in David’s office. The door opens, and David enters. He sits down across from Joel without saying anything.



Joel, “So am I off the team, or what?”

David, “You betrayed my trust. It’s really hard for me to get around that.”

Joel, “You want an official resignation, or are you dismissing me?”

David, “No. What would I even be dismissing you from? Nothings’ really official yet.”

Joel, “So why am I here?”

David thinks for a long moment, and says, “Gilboa needs a declaration of rights. It’s one of the most basic things I’ve promised. I don’t know how to write one. I don’t know anyone else who knows how to write one.”

Joel, “The University of Shiloh has plenty of legal experts.”

David, “Yeah but… none who have fought next to me.” They exchange looks.

David, “The Minister of Justice is going to be the most important position in my government. You’re going to be in charge of the police, and the courts, and the prison system. You’re gonna be the one who tells me what I can’t do.”

Joel, “David, the only time you need someone telling you no is when you’re standing in front of a tank. You’re a fundamentally good person, and even if someone tried to corrupt you, they’d end up disappointed.”

David, softly, “You could have at least waited. Given me time with Jack.”

Joel, “I really wish I could have.”

David, “I want to see a draft of your declaration of rights, and your ideas on the first legal reforms that need be made.”

Joel, “I can do that.”

David, “If you ever disobey my orders again, it will be bad for you.”

Joel, “I won’t disappoint you. I swear.”

David, “I’m gonna try to believe you.”

  * Another exhausting afternoon of arguing with Shaw. Outside, the sun is beginning to set.



Abby argues passionately, “It’s absurd to demand more territory, you already have the borderlands Silas gave you and the Port of Prosperity, if we gave you any more land, we’d be handing over Shiloh!”

Shaw, “If you want peace, you have to pay the price!”

David, “The peace itself is the price! Gath and Gilboa won’t lose any more lives over, god, I can’t even remember what the hell this war started with.”

Shaw, “Silas demanded I give him your head, and then you ran away before I could give it to him.”

David, “Then why the hell are we fighting? This is just war for war’s sake, it’s absurd! How much more suffering are we going to inflict on our people?”

Shaw, “It’s funny how quickly war becomes absurd when you’re the one losing.”

David, “Fuck this! You don’t want peace, you don’t want to settle, you just want to argue and make everyone miserable! I’m ending this, and I’m not speaking to you again until you’re ready to make an actual deal! In the meantime, as I don’t want Achison’s skull in my office, and as you clearly don’t care about getting it back, I’m going to order it destroyed and disposed of!”

Shaw, “Wait! I didn’t say that I didn’t care about it, I just said I was willing to wait for it.”

David, “Well I’m not going to let you wait. You either make some sort of deal right now, or I’m having it destroyed.”

Shaw takes in a deep, angry breath, “I’ll agree to a cease-fire. It’s not peace, just a cease-fire.”

David, “Good. I will return Achison’s skull to you when you come here for my confirmation council, after you’ve confirmed me without causing any drama.”

Shaw, “You said you wanted peace.”

David, “This is part of it. I’m still the one who owns the skull.”

Shaw, “Fine. I’ll confirm you.”

David, “Good. I will see you then, and I don’t want to see your fucking face until then.” He turns the video feed off and mutters, “Fuck.”

Abby, “You just got Shaw to agree to a cease-fire, that’s a fucking diplomatic miracle.”

Shay, “We really needed this cease-fire, too. Now I can actually try to integrate the AFG without just throwing everyone into combat together.”

Reinhardt, “I have to admit, I’m impressed.”

David, “Yeah, we’ll see how long this cease-fire lasts. Go home, get some rest.”

Shay, “Can’t, we’ve got a cease-fire to implement.”

David, “What do I need to do?”

Abby, “You gave the order, we’ll do the work.”

Reinhardt, “Go have dinner.”

  * David enters the residence. Jessie is making dinner while Jack watches TV.



Jessie, “I hope you’re hungry for meatloaf!”

Jack, “Hey, babe!”

David, “Thank you, Mom. Are you gonna be eating with us?”

Jessie, “No, of course not! I want the two of you to have some time together. You need it.”

David, “Are you sure?”

Jessie, “Are you kidding? I get to order from the restaurant for free! I’m having lobster tonight!” She goes over to David and kisses his cheek, “This is for you and Jack. I want you two to have a nice home-cooked meal. You’ve got a very hard job ahead of you, and you need to be relaxed and well-nourished”

David, “Thanks, Mom.” Jack goes over to the dining table.

Jessie, “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

David, “Okay, see you then.” Jessie leaves. David goes over to the table and sits down across from Jack. He looks out at the meal spread out before them, “I guess there’s a few things I still get to enjoy, huh?” They both laugh. David begins serving himself, “How have you been?”

Jack, also serving himself, “Good.”

David, “Great. I promise you, some time soon, I'll be the one making us dinner. I’ve just got so much stuff going on, it's hard to know what’s gonna happen from one day to another.”

Jack, “Busy.”

David, “Yeah, I know, but when I’m not busy.”

Jack, “Always.”

David sighs and thinks for a moment. Suddenly he says, “You know what? Fuck it. Eat your dinner, and when you’re done, I’m taking you out. I want to do something fun.”

  * David and Jack sit in the back seat of the fancy vintage convertible, snuggled up and watching meteors streak across a brilliantly clear country sky.



David, “The meteors are what was left behind by the Swift-Tuttle comet. They’re called the Perseids because they go in the same direction as the constellation Perseus.”

Jack, “Nerd.”

David, “What? This shit’s fascinating!” he points up to the sky, “See, there’s Perseus. He had to deal with a lot of king bullshit, too.”

Jack, “King bullshit?”

David, “The only way that I know how to describe what both Perseus and I have been through is king bullshit, okay? His grandfather, a king, was told by an oracle that he’d be killed by his grandson, so when Zeus got his daughter pregnant, he tossed them both in a crate into the sea, and then they got rescued by a fisherman whose brother happened to be another king. The brother king was an asshole who made Perseus go out and bring him back the head of Medusa. So Perseus goes out and kills Medusa, and on the way back home he rescues Andromeda from this terrible sea monster and then marries her, and then he gets back home and accidentally kills his grandfather and becomes the king of Mycenae.”

Jack looks at him, confused, “What?”

David, “Fuckin’ Greeks, man.”

Jack, “Nerd.”

David, “Shut up!”

Jack lays his head on David’s shoulder, and they watch the meteors in silence for a moment.

David strokes his arm and kisses his forehead, “Having you around makes this king bullshit a lot easier.”

Jack smiles brightly, and David kisses him. Together, they look up into the bright meteors up above him.


	51. S6, E2: Palace Magnifique

**“Palace Magnifique”**

Rose stands on stage in a tastefully understated black gown, First Night, “Considerable changes have been made since First Night was last held, but Gilboa’s dedication to the fine arts remains the same. Tonight, for the first time, I am joined by a new Minister of Arts and Culture. I’m very pleased to introduce Miss Monique Broadnax.”

She applauds politely as Monique makes a dramatic, sweeping entrance. She’s dressed in an elaborate gown with trains in trans pride colors. Rose maintains a tight smile as the crowd applauds wildly for Monique. David, sitting besides Jessie, cheers for her.

Monique, “Good evening!”

More applause, shouts of “YAAAAAS!” Rose’s smile tightens even more.

Monique, “For years, the Shiloh Ballet has been a symbol of grace and culture. Tonight, we seek to continue the tradition of First Night, but to bring it into a new era. As this city changes, its culture must change along with it. Tonight, for the first time, new styles of dance will be incorporated into the performance, style of dance that have previously been considered to be less than. Tonight, we are once again blessed by angels, but we invite new ones to the table. Please, welcome our new dancers.” She and Rose graciously leave the stage to applause.

Classical music plays, and ballet dancers pirouette across the stage. After a few moments of pure ballet, the music and lighting change; suddenly all colors and hip-hop. Vogue dancers appear on the stage, dancing furiously. Society people pretend not to be highly confused and/or outraged. Gays and AFG veterans finger-snap and shout “YAAAAAAAAS!” Jessie’s jaw drops in delight and David smiles and laughs at her astonishment. More fierce dancing.

  * [(“Tomorrow Is My Turn” Nina Simone)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pJ73lfCo4M) David’s portrait hangs in the palace- bright and colorful, with a big, optimistic smile on David’s face.



Monique leads a team of designers and architects, furiously taking notes, around the lobby of the palace, “There needs to be some actual life in this place, some warmth, I want plants, natural light, and some color. There should be design elements keeping in the celestial theme of the AFG, and maybe a few butterflies as a tasteful nod to history.” She turns around, “King David has stated that the most important thing is that the palace be open to all people. There should be no part of the palace that isn’t wheelchair accessible. Prince Jack lives here and he still can’t visit half the building. We’re beginning a new day!”

o In the council chamber, David sits and speaks into the camera, “Good evening. Today I signed into law a declaration of rights for the Citizens of Gilboa.”

o David has his picture taken for _Elite_ Magazine. He smiles with brilliant charm.

o In his office, a reporter asks, “The impact of your kingship is being felt all across North America. Do you encourage those in other countries to take up the fight for their rights?”

David, “Not unless they’re willing to go through hell for it. You think you know what the worst thing that can happen is, but then, something even worse happens, and then something even worse happens, and it just keeps getting worse and worse. If you think you can survive that, then, maybe.”

o On TV: David, “Citizens of Gilboa have a right to free speech and a free press.” Jack sits behind the cameramen, smiling supportively and giving a thumbs-up.

o At their own press conference, Adam and Liam stand behind two podiums in crisp new AFG uniforms.

Adam, “With the cease-fire with Gath fully implemented, King David is beginning the integration of AFG forces into the Gilboan Army.”

o Elsewhere in Shiloh, buildings damaged by the Amalekites get repaired.

o Joel gets photographed as he holds up the declaration of rights.

o Asher is photographed smiling and leading a service in a synagogue.

o Shay is photographed smiling and standing in front of a proud group of Queens of Gilboa in their new uniforms.

o David breaks ground on a housing project for refugees as a crowd lovingly cheers and applauds.

o Abby poses proudly in her office.

o Jack has his picture taken.

Photographer, “Can you turn your head a little bit, I want to get a better view of your scars.”

Jack’s smile fades, and he turns his head.

o In his office, David explains to the reporter, “Being king really is exciting, I’m actually building things and getting things done.” He presses a button on his phone, “Abby, can you get me those reports I asked you for this morning?”

Abby, over the phone, “Lick my BALLS, David! You aren’t the only person who’s busy today!”

David laughs nervously, “We haven’t quite lost the informality of the AFG yet.”

o In their apartment, Jack watches an elevator being installed by the staircase.

o Back at Liam and Adam’s press conference, Liam says, “AFG veterans who wish to retire from combat will be given full benefits and recognition as veterans of Gilboa.”

o Reinhardt grins like a smug, handsome asshole as he poses in front of a display of weapons.

o Rose is photographed at her press podium.

o Monique is photographed in front of the still spray-painted MSS building, wearing a sparkly gold gown, and waving an AFG flag in the manner of _Liberty Leading the People_.

o David, “All citizens of Gilboa are equal under law. No one shall be discriminated against on the basis of their race, religion, gender, gender presentation, or sexual orientation.”

o Gay couples flood a courthouse trying to get married. One of the couples is Abby and Michelle, holding hands and giggling. Michelle wears a slinky white satin slip gown and Abby wears a feminine tux.

o At her desk, Rose receives a magazine: on the cover is Jessie, “Gilboa’s Mom.” Rose tosses it aside dismissively.

o Jack and David have their picture taken together, David standing behind Jack.

Reporter, “Will Prince Jack be granting an interview?” Jack glances at David.

David, “Oh, no. Jack’s made really remarkable progress in his recovery, but speech remains a real difficulty for him. I’d be glad to answer a few questions, though.” Jack tries to smile.

o At Liam and Adam’s press conference, a reporter asks, “Will either of you be returning to active duty?”

Adam, “If King David asks us.”

Liam grins, “This is a good thing because if I were Premiere Shaw, I’d be terrified to know that I had this guy coming after me.” He points at Adam.

o At sundown, Monique stands in front of a building, looking up at its neon sign. It flickers and lights up, PALACE MAGNIFIQUE. Monique claps and laughs with delight.

o Reporter, “You’ve legalized gay marriage in Gilboa. Are you and Prince Jack intending on getting married any time soon?” Both David and Jack blush and laugh. Jack looks up at David.

David, “Oh, man, I’d love to, but royal weddings are a big deal, aren’t they? I’ve got a ton of stuff that I’m working on, I don’t know when I can find the time to do a wedding.”

Jack, “We should.”

David, “Yeah, we should.”

o Rose watches as the cold stone facade of the palace lobby is taken down. She stoically tries to hide her sadness.

Monique saunters past, followed by architects and designers, “The new stairwell should go over here. It creates more of a natural flow, has better feng shui.”

  * In bed at night, Jack wakes up, rubs his eyes, and sees that he’s by himself. Slowly and carefully, he gets himself into his wheelchair and goes out into the living area. He sees a light coming from David’s office. He goes over and opens the door.



Jack, groggily, “David?”

David looks up from his work, “Oh, shit, what time is it?” He looks at his watch, “Damnit, I’m sorry.”

Jack, “It’s okay.”

David puts his stuff away, and says, apologetically, “I swear I was gonna go to bed with you, but I wanted to take one last look at these refugee numbers, I kinda got sucked into them and lost track of time.” He goes over to Jack, “Come on, let’s go to bed.”

They go towards the bedroom. They both get into bed. Jack curls up on his pillow, away from David.

  * Jack at physical therapy: he does exercises for balance and coordination after brain injury. It’s difficult and strenuous but Jack powers through it with intense concentration and determination.



Afterwards, his physical therapist, Josh, helps him back into his wheelchair.

Josh, “You’re doing really great, Jack.”

Jack, “Thanks.”

Josh, “If it were based on strength alone, you could run a marathon tomorrow. Your issues are all related to balance and coordination, which are trickier to address. Are you continuing your exercises at home?”

Jack, “Yeah.”

Josh, “Good. You need to be walking around at home. Are you using your walker?”

Jack, “Yes.”

Josh, “You need to start using it all the time. It’s gonna be harder moving around with it at first, but once you start improving your coordination, it’ll be no problem.”

Jack, “Okay."

Josh claps him on the shoulder, “You’re doing good, man. See you Wednesday.”

  * Jack quietly goes into the council chamber, where David sits deep in discussion with his cabinet. He goes over to the railing at the top of the gallery. He rests his arms on it, and then rests his chin on his arms, watching intently.



David, “Okay, what’s next on the agenda?”

Asher reads, “Mental health care for AFG veterans.”

David, “In the _Elite_ interview, I talk a lot about my own mental health and how important taking care of it has been for me, by the time it comes out, I absolutely need to make sure that AFG veterans have full access to quality mental health care.”

The minister of health says, “I have a good plan in place, but I need to go through it with military leaders and make sure it can be implemented.”

David, “Excellent, when this meeting is over, You, Shay, and Caesar can stay and we’ll hammer out the details together,” he turns to Asher, “Anything else?”

Asher, “Nope, that’s it.”

David, “Sweet! Let’s get to work!”

Everyone but Shay, Reinhardt, the minister of health, and David gets up and leaves.

David glances up at the gallery and spots Jack, “Jack! Hey!” He hurries up the stairs to greet him.

Jack smiles at him, “Hey, babe.” Reinhardt rolls his eyes.

David, “Hey, you should come join us, I think you’ll have some great ideas!” He pushes Jack towards the stairs, but then stops. They both stare down at the steps.

David, “Shit. I guess I really need to prioritize making the council chamber accessible, huh? Do you think you could make it down the stairs if I help you?”

Jack looks at the stairs warily, and then looks up at David, “Lunch.”

David, “Oh, that’s right! Shit! I’m kind of busy.”

Jack, “Okay.”

David, “I’ll see you for dinner, though, okay?”

Jack, “Yeah.”

David leans down and kisses him on the cheek, “You go enjoy your lunch.”

  * In the kitchen, Jack and Michelle eat sandwiches.



Michelle, “I got all my textbooks today. This afternoon, I’m taking Cameron on a tour of the campus. He already says he wants to go into trauma surgery, can you believe it? Most of my classmates still have no idea what they want to specialize in.”

Jack, “Cool.”

Rose enters, carrying a magazine.

Michelle, “Hey, Mom.”

Jack, “Hey.”

Rose sits down next to them and lays the magazine out, “An advance copy of _Elite_ came today. David looks very handsome.”

Michelle, snidely, “Of course he fucking does.”

Rose, “I say Silas looked better on his first _Elite_ cover, but of course I’m biased.”

Jack points at the picture of David, “Second. Second cover.”

Rose, “Oh, I know.”

Jack opens the magazine, and starts flipping pages. He lands on Michelle’s picture.

Michelle, “Oh, I like that one.”

Jack smiles and flips a few more pages to find his picture. In the image, he sits in profile, the emphasis on his scars, still visible through his hair. Jack tries to hide his displeasure.

Rose, “It’s a very striking image.”

Michelle, “Hey, I got something for the two of you.” She reaches into her purse and pulls out two photographs, “Wedding pictures. You two can put them wherever you like.” She hands one to Rose and one to Jack.

Rose looks at hers, and says with a hint of shade, “Well, you two look very happy.”

Michelle, “What?”

Rose, “I just imagined your wedding would be a bit different is all.”

Michelle, “Was this before or after I vowed to remain a virgin and never marry?”

Rose, “I was just imagining things.”

Michelle, “Hey, you and Dad got married on an army base while you were pregnant. You can’t complain about my wedding.”

Rose, “I’m not complaining.”

Jack stares down at his picture in Elite.

Rose, “What’s wrong?”

Jack doesn’t say anything.

Rose, “Do you not like the picture?”

Jack, “Scars.” He flips the pages, and finds the picture of him and David, small and embedded into a page of text.

Michelle, “Hey, that’s a nice picture.”

Jack, “Small.”

Rose, “Don’t fret over it, Jack, there will be other magazines in the future.”

Jack grimaces.

Rose, “Whatever you do, just don’t complain about it to David. Your job is to support him, not add to his worries.”

Michelle, “So Jack is supposed to just be some subservient wifey now?”

Rose, “He doesn’t have to be subservient, but being the king’s spouse does have its own unique responsibilities.”

Jack, “Not married.”

Rose, “When you are. I speak from experience. The success of David’s kingship rests largely on you keeping him happy. You have to give him everything he wants, and know what he needs before he needs it. You have to lessen his burden, not increase it.”

Michelle, bitterly, “That’s how Seth was kept from us for ten years.”

Rose, “That was your father, not me.”

  * In the evening, Jack lays on David’s shoulder while they watch TV together.



David plays with Jack’s hair, “I swear, your hair is growing back curly.”

Jack smiles, “Just messy.”

David, “No, it’s curly. I like it.” He kisses the top of Jack’s head, and then yawns deeply, “Shit, it’s been a long day.”

Jack, “Tired?”

David, “Yeah, I think I might go to bed. You want to join me, or watch TV for a little bit longer?”

Jack, “Join you.” David gets up, and then helps Jack up.

David, “Lemme get you your walker…”

Jack, “N-no. Myself.”

David, “Come on, don't be stubborn, you need the walker.” He goes to get it, but Jack takes a few shaky steps on his own.

David grabs the walker and hurries over, “Jack!”

Jack keeps going, and then stumbles.

David lunges and catches him, “Don’t give yourself another head injury!” He tries to get the walker again, but Jack pushes it away.

David, “ _Jack_!”

Jack keeps going, walking slowly and unsteadily on his own. David gives up and hovers close behind him. Jack stumbles again, and David grabs him. David helps him regain his balance, and slowly, they make their way into the bedroom.

  * Jack and Reinhardt sit in Reinhardt’s office.



Reinhardt, “All right, I had my secretary draw up a report for you, everything you need to be briefed on should be in there.”

Jack looks through a stack of papers.

Reinhardt, “Anyway, I am BUSY-”

Jack cuts him off, “Wait.”

Reinhardt, “What?”

Jack knits his eyebrows, “Questions.”

Reinhardt, “What questions?”

Jack, points to a page and slowly reads, “Arming rebels in Gath,” he looks at Reinhardt.

Reinhardt, “I just thought why are we sending our troops to fight Shaw when Gath is full of rebel groups willing to do it instead?”

Jack, “Terrorists.”

Reinhardt, “The AFG was considered a terrorist group until you all took over.”

Jack, “No… Amalekite terrorists.”

Reinhardt, “The Amalekites never operated in Gath.”

Jack, “No.”

Reinhardt, “I mean, they blew up that one bomb but it was only so David would escape, right? And anyway, all of our intelligence says that the Amalekites died with Alek Amal, so we don’t have to worry about them.”

Jack, frustrated, “No.”

Reinhardt, “What? Are you saying they’re still working?”

Jack, “No.”

Reinhardt, “Then what the hell are you saying?”

Jack sighs. He points to the list of rebels in Gath, “B-bad guys!”

Reinhardt, “Bad guys who are on our side.”

Jack, “Can’t.”

Reinhardt, “Can’t what?”

Jack, concentrating to say the words, “Help… bad guys!”

Reinhardt sighs with annoyance, “Well, it’s just a proposal, not a plan. Besides, you always get David to do what you say.” His voice is full of insinuation.

Jack glares at him, “Are you done?”

Reinhardt, “Yes, I’m done. And I have other meetings to get to, so if you will please excuse me.” He gets up, and leaves. Jack watches him leave, and then leaves himself.

  * Reinhardt walks into David’s office, “You requested me?”



David, “You briefed Jack this morning like I told you to, right?”

Reinhardt, “I did.”

David, “How did it go?”

Reinhardt, “As well as could be expected. We had a few disagreements.”

David, “Disagreements? I told you, Jack is still your authority, if he gives you orders, you have to follow them.”

Reinhardt, “That’s just it. Jack is not exactly the best person for conversation.”

David, “What the fuck are you saying?”

Reinhardt, “I can’t follow his orders if I have no idea what the hell he’s trying to say to me.”

David, “Okay, before this goes any further, do you seriously not understand what he’s trying to say, or are you just being an asshole?”

Reinhardt, “I need clear orders so that I don’t get blamed when they go badly.”

David, “So you’re just being an asshole.”

Reinhardt, "Am I supposed to be buddies with Jack now?"

David, “Don't act like you can't understand him!”

There’s a soft knock on the door.

David, “Yes?"

The door opens and a secretary enters, “Sir, Queen Rose is here to see you.”

David, “I'll be there in just a moment.”

Reinhardt, “Should I leave?”

David, “We will deal with this later.”

Reinhardt, “Well, I’ll see you later, then.” He gets up and leaves.

As he exits the room, Rose enters.

Rose, “What is it, David?”

David pulls something up on his tablet and hands it to her, “This.”

Rose takes it. On the screen is an OMGossip headline, “Prince Jack’s Struggle.”

Rose, “Ah, Andrew.”

David, “I have been clear from the beginning, Jack is off-limits! There’s personal information in there! They say that Jack has migraines and seizures!”

Rose, “He does have migraines and seizures.”

David, “How could they know that?!”

Rose, “The palace has over 5,000 employees, and this doesn’t include the employees of the hospital and rehabilitation center. Any one of them could have been paid to say something.”

David, “I want it looked into and anyone who talked fired.”

Rose, “Tell Thomasina.”

David, “This isn’t the first time OMGossip has published personal shit. They’re the ones who published the fucking sex tape!”

Rose, “So what are you going to do about it, David? This is all factual information. Under your new declaration of rights, they’re perfectly free to do it. There’s nothing you can do.”

David, “The only way they could have gotten that sex tape was from Gath, this is an issue of national security!”

Rose, “Then discuss it with Minister Reinhardt.”

David sits back in his chair, slightly deflated, “Jack’s recovery is hard enough as it is. I don’t want anyone adding to it. Can you, like, talk to Andrew?”

Rose, “He learned from his father to resent anyone named Benjamin, and it’s a lesson he took to heart. The fact that Jack got CrossGen only makes it worse. Andrew won’t listen to me. He won’t listen to anybody. And besides. This is hardly the worst thing Jack has ever had written about him.”

David, “That’s beside the point!”

Rose, “Right now, you have much, much bigger things to worry about. I have the outline of my Council testimony finished, and we’ll be meeting about it this afternoon. You need to figure out what you want to say.”

David annoyed, “There’s nothing to say.”

Rose, “That’s not good enough. I'll see you this afternoon.”

  * At speech therapy, Jack slowly reads out loud from a book. He pauses and rubs his eyes.



His therapist, Miranda, says, “Hey, you’re doing good, keep going.”

Jack, “Headache.”

Miranda, “Ah, gee, that’s rough. You look tired, did you get much sleep last night?”

Jack, “No.”

Miranda, “Well, make sure you take a nap this afternoon and try to catch up. We gotta keep going, though, come on.”

Jack begins reading again, but he goes slowly and struggles with the words. He squints with pain and rubs his head. He pauses again, blinking at the pages in front of him.

Miranda, “Are you sure you don’t want some aspirin or something?”

Jack winces and then suddenly vomits on the table.

Miranda jumps to her feet, “Okay, let's take a break.”

Jack wipes his mouth with embarrassment.

  * Outside the council chamber, David speaks in low, conspiratorial tones to Liam and Adam, “OMGossip published a story about Jack and I am _not_ happy about it.”



Liam, to Adam, “I told you man, I should have beat the shit out of that motherfucker when I had the chance!”

David, “What?”

Adam, quickly, “We saw Andrew Cross at Council. Nothing happened. Don’t worry about it.”

David, “Since being in touch with the press is you guys’ job, I want you to pay attention. Ask around. Where's OMGossip getting its sources? Is it someone inside the palace or from somewhere else?”

Liam, “You want me to deal with it when I find out?”

David, “What? No! No, don’t do anything stupid. If you find any information whatsoever, tell me immediately, don’t do anything else. With the declaration of rights, I’m not supposed to be doing anything to interfere with the press, and… Look, I don’t give a fuck what anyone says about me, but I want Jack to be left alone during his recovery, got it?”

Liam, “Got it.”

Adam knits his eyebrows in concern.

David, “Adam?”

Adam, “Yeah, I guess. I… are you sure we won’t be breaking the law or anything?”

David, “Hey, I’m the king, the law is whatever I say it is.”

Behind them, Thomasina steps out of the council chamber, “Your majesty, we’re waiting for you.”

David glances back at her, “Okay, just gimme a second.” He turns back to Liam and Adam, “Just keep your eyes open, and whatever happens, I’ve got you guys covered. Come on.” He goes into the council chamber.

  * In the chamber, David sits at the table with Rose, Thomasina, Joel, Abby, Asher, and a host of other advisors. Liam and Adam find a place in the gallery.



Abby begins talking, “Confirmation Council is largely symbolic, in the end, David is still king of Gilboa, no matter what, but it serves the very important purpose of setting a clear narrative on what happened during the coup, and establishing why David is king. Everyone directly involved with the coup is expected to testify.” Adam diligently takes notes.

Rose, “Honesty is going to be our best course of action, since we have nothing to hide, and David has built himself an image of being somewhat unflinchingly honest.”

An aide discreetly enters the chamber and goes up to David, "Sir, Prince Jack has cancelled his afternoon speech therapy for today.”

David, "What? Why? What happened?”

Aide, “He has a migraine.”

David, "Where is he now?”

Aide, “He’s in bed.”

David. “Shit.” He stands up, “I have to go."

Abby, “David, this is very important."

David, "I have to go be with Jack."

Abby, “David, this is when you tell everyone why you're king!”

David, “I've done that already! I’ve done it like five times! If someone doesn't understand by now, that's their fault. Figure out what I need to say, and I’ll say it.”

Abby, “Some of it should come from you.”

David, “Then we’ll reschedule! I have to go!” Adam watches him as he hurries out.

  * Jack lays in bed in a darkened room, eyes shut tight with pain. The door opens, and Jack winces at the beam of light that enters the room.



David steps in and says softly, “Hey, are you okay?” Jack moans. David loosens his tie and takes his jacket off. He gets into bed beside Jack and puts his arms around him.

Jack, “Work.”

David, “Don’t worry about that.”

Jack, “No.”

David, “I want to be with you.” In too much pain to protest, Jack curls up close against David, and David gently strokes his hair, “I'm not going anywhere.”

  * In the residence, Jessie makes a pot of chicken soup. Rose enters.



Jessie sees her, “Oh, hi, are you joining us for dinner?”

Rose, “I want to check up on Jack and speak to David.”

Jessie, “They’re still in bed. I checked on them a little while ago, Jack’s feeling a little better. He should be able to keep a little soup down.”

Rose, “I need to speak with David.” She heads toward the bedroom.

Jessie, “Don’t bother them!”

Rose, “It’s important!”

Jessie, “Letting them rest is important!”

Rose, “David’s been resting all afternoon!”

Jessie, “Don’t bother him!”

The bedroom door opens, and David steps out, dressed in comfortable clothing, “What’s going on?”

Jessie, “Nothing!”

Rose, “I need to speak with you.”

Jessie, “Dinner will be ready soon.”

David, “Okay.” He sits down at the dining table and looks at Rose, “What did you want to talk to me about?”

Rose, “You can’t just get up and leave.”

David, “My first full day as king, I made it clear with Thomasina, I will drop everything and go to Jack if he needs me.”

Rose, “You still have to be king! You cannot just cancel an important meeting because Jack has a headache!”

David, “They aren’t just headaches! Jesus, he’s a Benjamin, it takes a lot of pain to knock him out, and right now he’s laid up in bed in so much pain he can’t even think!”

Rose, “So what’s going to happen when you’re sitting here at Council totally unprepared?”

David, "I'll be prepared."

Rose, “How?”

David, “I don’t know. I got into most things totally unprepared and I usually end up okay."

Rose, "You do realize you can’t shoot your way out of Royal Council, right? You can't blow up a peace negotiation, and you can’t lead an army against a bad trade deal."

David, “I’m still figuring a lot of this shit out, alright? I know I can’t just cancel everything, but, Jesus! I couldn't be with Jack when he got shot, I couldn't be there when he was in the hospital, the least I can do is be there with him when he's in pain!"

Jessie speaks up, “Soup is ready!”

David, “Don’t think I’m just being careless about this.”

Rose, "It's very hard to tell sometimes.”

Jessie, "David! Go get Jack!"

Rose, "I'll get him,” she gives David a look, "You aren’t the only one who cares about him." She goes off to get him.

  * David goes into Vesper’s cell and sits down.



David, “Can I talk to you?”

Vesper, “I have nothing better to be doing.”

David sighs heavily, “I don’t get it… you murdered your wife.”

Vesper, “Yes, I did.”

David, “You turned your army on your own people. You murdered thousands, maybe millions of innocent people, and you murdered the person who loved and supported you and was the mother of your children… but when I talk to you, you seem pretty decent. You’re not like Silas or Warner. You don’t seem like the kind of person who would do what you did.”

Vesper, “I know what you’re trying to ask, and I’m afraid it’s a question best left to the scholars- Why did Vesper Abbadon go absolutely batshit insane? Anyone else’s guess is as good as mine.”

David, “Is that what you’d tell your kids?”

Vesper, “Perhaps I’d try to give them something better, but… I’ve tried to explain it to myself countless times over the years. Every time I think I’m close to some sort of rationalization or explanation, I see how wrong it is, and I’m once again left with no answers. Evil is like that. Sometimes, it just exists with no why.”

David makes a face.

Vesper, “What other answers are you looking for?”

David, hesitant, “Is there something wrong with the fact that… I actually kind of enjoy being king? I’m helping people! I’m getting stuff done! That… that feels really good. And it’s really scary to have that power. I don’t want to end up like Silas… or like you. I’ve already done a lot of things I regret, from before I was ever even king.”

Vesper, “You know your own faults, and you’ve learned from your mistakes. You’re already doing better than I did.”

David, “I thought for sure, I’d hate being king, but, I’d do it because doing the right thing is hard. I thought as long as I had Jack with me, I’d be okay. But instead, the work’s making me happy, and Jack…” he grows quiet, “Jack isn’t happy. And I don’t know how to make him happy.” He shoots Vesper a dirty look, “I know what you did to gay people, so I don’t know why I’m telling you.”

Vesper, “You’re seeking a connection with someone who understands what you’re going through.”

David, “Laura knows, she’s given me plenty of advice.”

Vesper, “But she’s a busy queen with her own life and her own problems. I, one the other hand, am a captive audience. I have no right to judge you, and I won’t share your secrets.”

David, “Yeah, I guess.”

Vesper, “You care about Jack, right?”

David, “He’s the most important thing in the world to me.”

Vesper, “Then don’t ignore his unhappiness, or pretend it doesn’t exist.”

David, “I don’t know how to make him happy! That’s the worst thing about being king- I can solve everyone’s problems except for the one person I care about the most!”

Vesper, “I don’t have an answer for you, David, but I think you may have one for yourself.”

  * Hobbling slowly on his walker, Jack gets into the finished elevator in the apartment, presses the button, and goes up to the second floor. He gets out of the elevator, goes over to the stairs, and looks down them. He thinks for a moment, and then stands up. He puts the walker to the side. He clutches the railing, and carefully, slowly, lowers himself down the first step. With slightly more confidence, he goes down the second step, and then third. On the fourth, he stumbles, and falls violently down the flight of stairs. He grimaces painfully and sits up, rubbing his shoulder. He looks around for something to help him stand up, but it’s all out of reach. Panic washes over his face, but he takes a deep, determined breath, and tries to get up. He rises a few feet, but then stumbles over and is once again on the ground. He tries to get up, again, but falls. Panting, he tries once more, and almost makes it, but loses his balance. He lies on his back, teeth gritted, breathing deeply, seething. He lets out a scream of rage, and pounds his fists and feet on the floor. When his anger is spent, he breaks down and sobs with frustration.



The door opens, and David enters. He sees Jack lying at the foot of the stairs, and runs to him, “Jack?!” He kneels down beside him, “Jack?! Are you okay? Did you hit your head?”

Jack, muttering, “I’m fine.”

David, “What happened? Did you have a seizure?”

Jack, “No. I fell.”

David helps him sit up, “Do you feel okay? You aren’t dizzy or anything, are you?”

Jack, “No.”

David feels his head, “Did you dent your plates?”

Jack grabs his hand and throws it away from him, resentful.

David looks up at the walker at the top of the stairs, “Did… did you try to go down the stairs by yourself?”

Jack, “Yes.”

David, dismayed, “Jack, you aren’t even doing that in therapy!”

Jack gives him an angry look.

David, “Are you okay?”

Jack, somewhat defeated, “Yeah.”

David touches his forehead, “You’re gonna have a bruise.”

Jack turns his face away from David’s hand.

David lowers it and sits quietly for a moment, “I know you’re not happy. I know you’re in a really difficult position, and…” he drifts off, “I don’t know what I can do to make it better for you.”

Jack puts his hands over David’s, “You… b-be with you.”

David, “Is that what you want?”

Jack, “Yes.”

David thinks for a moment, “All right. I should’ve had more time with you, anyway. Do you… Do you want to get married?”

Jack smiles a little bit, “Yes.”

David smiles back, “Then we should do that. Take a couple weeks for a honeymoon. Finally take some time to be together. Does that sound good?”

Jack smiles, “Yeah.”

David, “Okay. We’ll do that.” He thinks for a long moment, and then smiles sadly, “I never really thought much about how I'd ask you to marry me, but I always figured it'd be a lot more romantic than this."

Jack leans forward and puts his head on David’s shoulder.

David puts his arms around him, “You're still what matters most to me.”


	52. S6, E3: Apologies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, here's what everyone wore at the council dinner: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1o3x4-rbrwuivNMI56BFVHNE5IylICpfP
> 
> The tradition is that queens at Council dinners dress patriotically and wear symbols and colors of their respective nations.

**“Apologies”**

David wanders through the palace hallways, and enters the council chamber. In there sits Silas and Abner, with Jack standing behind them like nothing had ever happened. Shaw sits across from them, and they engage in a fierce argument without noticing David enter.

David goes up to them slowly, watching in confusion, “I’m king now.”

Silas gives him an annoyed glance, “No you’re not.”

David, “Yes, I am, I got crowned and everything!”

Silas, “Do you really think you can be king? No, you don’t have what it takes.”

David, “Yes I do! I’m king!”

Silas, “Fuck you!”

Shaw pulls out a gun and shoots Jack.

  * David bitches to Othman, “Seriously, can’t you tell my subconscious to knock that shit off? It’s getting fucking predictable. Can’t I just show up naked for class or have all my teeth fall out or something?”



Othman, “Don’t you get confirmed in a few hours?”

David, “Yes.”

Othman, “Ah, I’m seeing the symbolism. Well, this Council ought to go a little bit better for you than the last one.”

David, quietly, “It means Shaw’s gonna be here. I’m trying to arrange things so he’s as far away from Jack as possible, but anywhere within a hundred miles of him is too close. Being on the same fucking planet is too close.”

Othman, “What are you doing to keep them separated? Isn’t there traditionally a dinner after Council?”

David, “Yeah, but Shaw’s not invited. It’s a break from tradition, but I’m not showing that fucker any personal kindness. He deals with me as the king of Gilboa, I deal with him as the premier of Gath, that’s it.”

Othman, “Do you still intend on making Jack the Minister of Defense?”

David, “Can’t right now. He’s getting better, but he still has a lot of trouble talking.”

Othman, “I mean later down the line, when he’s able to. As minister of defense, he’s going to have to deal with Gath officials, and probably even Shaw himself, at some point.”

David, “That’s what Reinhardt is there for.”

Othman, “So Jack wouldn’t be there as minister of defense, but Reinhardt, his representative, would be?”

David, “I don’t know, okay? Right now I’m keeping Jack focused on his recovery, that’s what’s important.”

Othman, “Is he involved with defense at all?”

David, “Reinhardt briefs him once a week, and he’s supposed to listen to what Jack has to say.”

Othman, “I don’t know if this is really fair, I’m not up on all of Gilboa’s old political feuds, but I have heard some gossip about Jack and Reinhardt as… _rivals_ under King Silas, I guess I should say.”

David, “I do not have time to give you a full run-down on Jack’s history with Reinhardt, but, basically, Silas liked to throw potential rivals at Jack as some weird power play, to make Jack a better future king. He did it with me, even. But I’m not doing that. Reinhardt knows his place.”

Othman, “It just seems like an odd way to be running things.”

David, “You’re a psychiatrist, not a politician.”

Othman, “I’m a psychiatrist and I know a conflict in the making when I see one.”

David, “Welcome to being king! It’s an endless parade of finding the least shitty option out of a line-up of incredibly shitty options, and then acting like it’s a great fucking option! I’m not worried about Jack and Reinhardt right now, because in a few hours, I have to fucking sit down across a table from Gerald Shaw, and then do everything I can to not break his face in!”

Othman, “You’ve done it once already.”

David, “And it sucked! When Jack and I first got to Gath, we agreed to keep our relationship quiet because I was afraid that someone would hurt Jack as a way of hurting me. Guess what Gerald went and fucking did!”

Othman, “Is this what you’re afraid will happen today?”

David huffs and thinks for a moment, “Yeah, I guess I am. Shaw can’t use Reinhardt to hurt me, and Reinhardt only annoys Jack, so…” he sighs heavily, “Being king fucking sucks.”

  * Reinhardt, Liam, and Adam, all wearing crisp new uniforms, stand waiting in a hallway crowded with press. Adam keeps nervously looking over a piece of paper with his lines on it.



Reinhardt, “You know, I almost announced for Silas at Council once. Allegedly Jack had a cold, but everyone was saying he’d tried to suck a dick that was too big and injured his throat.”

Liam, “You can do that?”

Reinhardt, “Allegedly.”

Adam, “Will you two shut up?”

There’s a bit of movement off to the side, and Andrew walks past them, unaware of their presence.

Liam sees him and nudges Adam, “Holy shit, it’s him!” Adam looks up.

Reinhardt, “Who?”

Liam, “Andrew Cross!”

Reinhardt, “Oh, yes. I’ve been briefed on him.”

Liam, “Someone needs to kick him out!”

Reinhardt, “Are you kidding? The palace is full of people and security. He can’t go anywhere, and trying to remove him will cause a scene. I’ll put a surveillance detail on him.”

Adam, “Is that a part of your job?”

Reinhardt, “No, but I know who to call.” He pulls out his phone.

Liam, “Mother fucker. I should have gotten him when I had the chance.”

  * The palace ballroom is once again ready for Council. This time the Gilboan contingency and the AFG contingency are one. All the soldiers and veterans wear AFG uniforms. Jack and Michelle sit with Jessie and the rest of the Shepherds.



A long table is set up with a spot for each monarch minus David, congressional hearing-style. A hot seat is places in front of them.

• Joel sits in the hot seat, taking questions.

Joel, “When someone asks you to help overthrow a tyrant, you say yes.”

Lawrence, “At any time did you contact David Shepherd about any of this?”

Joel, “No.”

Lawrence, “And why not?”

Joel, “He would have stopped me.”

• Thomasina testifies: “I thought of my children. The Gilboa I grew up in was chaotic and ungoverned. When I worked for King Silas, I justified long hours and missed events by telling myself that I was giving them the safety and stability my childhood had lacked. Under Linus Abner, it became clear to me that future was no longer guaranteed. It was my son, Miles, who truly helped open my eyes.”

• Rose sits for questioning.

Lawrence asks, “Do you think your husband would approve of your actions?”

Rose, “I don’t know. Silas is dead. If he were still alive, things would be very different.”

Lawrence, “Do you wish he were still alive?”

Rose, “Of course I do.”

Lawrence, “Would you still want David as king if Silas were still alive?”

Rose, “David is king, and I won’t be goaded or tricked into speaking against him, especially not with him watching me.” She gives Shaw a withering glare. She goes on, “It was an immense act of love for Silas that brought me here today. He sacrificed his life for Gilboa. I have to make sure Gilboa survives.”

• David testifies.

Lawrence, “Did you have anything to do with the planning or execution of Linus Abner?”

David, “No.”

Lawrence, “Did you ever suggest that Linus Abner should be killed?”

David, “No. As Joel Bronikov, Thomasina Bright, and Queen Rose have already stated, they all acted of their own accord, without involving me.”

Lawrence, “I see no point in dragging this out. This argument's been had before. With Linus dead, there is no one else to rule Gilboa beside David.”

Anthony, “I concur.”

John, “I concur.”

Laura, “Lawrence, we should at least take the time to congratulate David on his engagement,” she smiles at David, “Congratulations.”

David, smiling sheepishly, “Thank you.”

Laura, “I concur.”

Shaw, “I would like a public admission of Silas’s acts against Gath.”

David, annoyed, “Very well. Silas was the one who killed Premiere Achison, severed his head, and kept the skull. Today it will be handed back over to Gath and the Achison family.”

Shaw, “I would also like an apology on behalf of Gilboa.”

David, “You're getting the skull. that’s enough.”

Abby leans in as if to cut David off, "Diplomatic issues will be handled through traditional diplomatic means."

Warner, “What about the agreed-to annexation of Carmel to Ammon?”

David, “Since becoming king, new information has come to my attention that I believe will significantly change diplomatic relations between our countries.”

Warner, “And what is that?"

David, “It’s uh… something Silas did.”

Warner gives him a skeptical look.

David, "You'll want to see it in private.”

Warner sighs, “I still cannot abide a homosexual as king.”

David rolls his eyes, “Oh, for god’s sake, I’m _bi_ sexual!”

Warner, “I can’t abide it, but I also can’t stop it. I concur.”

All eyes fall on Shaw. He sighs and says, “I concur.”

  * In a receiving room, Rose introduces Jessie to the other queens.



Queen Evie of Edom, “We’re delighted to have you joining our ranks.”

Jessie, “I’m not a queen, though, I’m just a mom!”

Michelle and Jack sit talking to Quentin.

Quentin stares at Jack’s scar, “So you just fucking… survived that?”

Jack, “Yep.”

Michelle, “Now he’s got two titanium plates in his head, so I like to say he’s mecha.”

Quentin, “Woah.” He reaches out to touch Jack’s head, but Michelle smacks his hand away.

Michelle, “Do not fucking touch his head. Only me and David get to touch his head, and I only get to because I’m a med student.”

Quentin, “Sorry. So, why can’t you like, talk?”

Jack, defensively, “I talk.”

Michelle, “Jack’s worked really hard on regaining his speech. He’s actually made remarkable progress on it. But, it has to do with the left side of the brain.”

Jack repeats, “I talk.”

  * Adam heads towards his office. He turns the corner of a the hallway, and stops short when he sees Andrew casually leaning against his office door.



Andrew sees him, “Ah, Captain Solano, just the man I was looking for.”

Adam stares at him awkwardly.

Andrew, “I know you know who I am because at last Royal Council, you kept your friend from assaulting me.”

Adam, quietly, “You… you’re Andrew Cross, right?”

Andrew, “Yes, I am, and I wanted to speak to you downstairs but first I had to lose the tail that I know I had put on me. My hopes for David being any different from Silas were quite low, and they’ve already been squandered. I wanted to speak to you because I remembered our first encounter and I thought that you might be slightly different than the rest of your mindless AFG cohorts. I just want to know: is King David trying to suppress my publication?”

Adam, hesitant, “I-”

Andrew sighs, “Ah, I knew the whole declaration of rights thing was bullshit. David will let you publish what you want, as long as it doesn’t question him.”

Adam, “OMGossip hasn’t been stopped from publishing anything.”

Andrew, “And how long do you think that’ll last?”

Adam doesn’t say anything.

Andrew smirks, “As the owner of a major publication-”

Adam, “You own a gossip website.”

Andrew, “The truth is still the truth, isn’t it? It doesn’t matter where it comes from, as long as it comes out. As the owner of a major publication, I believe it would be best if we establish a healthy rapport.”

Adam, “You’re trying to get on my good side.”

Andrew, “Maybe I am. But I assure you, I’m a good friend to have.”

Adam, “You should leave.”

Andrew stands up straight and smiles, “Perhaps I should. I know I’ll be seeing you again soon, though. I’m the only publisher in Gilboa who seems devoted to the truth.” He smiles and walks off.

  * David, his cabinet behind him (minus the Benjamins), stands in the treaty room across from the Shaws and Gerald’s cabinet. David hands a small casket, containing the skull, over to Marlene, “On behalf of the people of Gilboa, I’d like to apologize for the pain and suffering caused by King Silas.” He casts Gerald a dirty look.



Marlene tearfully accepts the casket, “Thank you, your majesty.” Cameras flash. In the background, Warner watches. Marlene goes back to her family, and is embraced by her sons.

Gerald steps forward, “I must thank you, King David, for your generous gift. I hope that this is the beginning of peace between our nations.” He extends his hand. David stares at it for a moment, and then realizes he has no choice but to shake it. He shakes it quickly, and then pulls his hand away without smiling.

  * David rushes into a hallway, Abby following behind him.



David, “Jesus fucking Christ! I feel so fucking dirty right now.” He leans against a wall, trying to catch his breath.

Abby, “I’m sure there’s a ‘welcome to politics’ joke in there somewhere.”

David breathes deep and rubs his forehead, “Oh, god, I feel like I’m gonna throw up.” He sinks down to the floor.

Abby, “Do you need a trash can or something?”

David, “No, I…”

Abby sits down next to him.

David, “I didn’t realize he was gonna try to shake my hand. I probably should have,” he looks at Abby, “Do other countries do that, like specify, there will be no hand-shake, you can only go here, speak to these people?”

Abby, “A lot, actually. If one party breaks the agreed-to rules, it can mean the whole deal is off the table, so the rules can get really particular. Like about exactly how many inches away from the edge of a table briefing papers will be placed.”

David, “Shit.”

Abby, “It’s good to not get that petty, though. If you make rules for Shaw, he’ll make rules for you. If he can find a bullshit reason to disrupt the peace process, he’ll latch on to it.”

David, “In the future, can we at least specify no handshake?”

Abby, “We can, again, that’s just ammunition for Shaw to be a dick. I think it’s better if we just focus on doing everything we can to keep him away from Jack.”

David, “God damn it.”

Abby, “Hey, he’s leaving. You got rid of him. Hopefully the next time you have to face him in person is when we sign a peace treaty.”

David, “Hopefully.”

They sit for a moment.

Abby, “You wanna go make Warner shit his pants?”

David, “Yeah, just gimme a minute.”

  * David and Abby lead Warner and his advisor down the dungeon hallway.



David, “Just remember, this was Silas’s doing, not us.”

Warner, “What have you got in there, the beast of revelation?”

David, “Something close.” He unlocks Vesper’s cell and opens it.

Vesper looks up and sees Warner, “Hello, Warner.”

Warner gawks for a moment, and then rushes forward in a rage.

David slams the door shut, “We’re willing to hand him over to let you do with him as you see fit, but you have to give something to us in exchange.”

Warner, “Get the hell out of my way, or I will move you!”

David, “And I will have security take you back to Ammon. You’re a formidable opponent, but I’m younger and faster, and I’m pretty sure I could take you in a fight.”

Warner steps back, dismayed, and paces for a moment, “Open the door again. Let me see him.”

David, “If you lunge again, you’ll be removed from the palace.”

Warner, “Open the door.”

David opens the door.

Warner glares at Vesper for a long moment, “How long have you been here?”

Vesper, “Oh, a long time. I’m not sure exactly how long.”

Warner, “How? Why?”

Vesper, “Silas decided that death was too good for me.”

Abby, “We’re giving you the right to announce this in the way you see fit, but until a peace agreement can be made, Abbadon will remain in Gilboan custody.”

Warner glares at Vesper for a long moment, “I need to discuss things with my cabinet.” He huffs off.

David, “Are you gonna be at dinner?”

Warner, “Yes.” He goes through the door at the end of the hall. David looks at Abby.

Abby, “I think that went well?”

David, “I think we can consider anything that doesn’t involve ice picks a success,” he looks over at Vesper, “I gotta go. See you later, Vesper.”

  * David goes into the residence, his tie loosened and jacket draped over his arm.



Quentin jumps up when he sees him, “David!”

David tries to act happy to see him, “Quentin.” He exchanges dismayed glances with Jack and Michelle.

Quentin, “I really wanted to talk to you at the last Council.”

David, “Yeah, well, I got out of there pretty quick, didn’t I?”

Quentin, “It’s crazy, man, everyone in Edom wants to suck your dick!”

David, “Well, only Jack’s allowed to do that.”

Quentin, “Nah, man, you don’t get it, people are like… talking. Like about how you eliminated your MSS and you’re instituting all these rights and shit. A lot of people want to see that sort of thing happening in Edom.”

David, “I hadn’t heard this.”

Quentin, “That’s because Grandpa’s been busting his ass trying to keep it quiet.”

David, “Huh, really?”

Quentin, “I just wanted to warn you, Grandpa’s gonna act all polite and shit, but he’s not happy you’re king. I think one of the reasons he tried to hurry your confirmation along is because he didn’t want to give you a platform to talk.”

David, nervously, “Um, thanks.”

Quentin, “Just watching out for you, man.”

David, “Okay, well, I kind of have to get ready for the dinner. Do you mind?”

Quentin, “Yeah, sure, I just wanted to catch up with Jack.” He turns to Jack, “See you, man!”

Jack, “See you.”

Quentin leaves. David flops down on the sofa beside Jack.

Michelle, “How was Warner?”

David, “He freaked out but not quite as much as I thought he would.” His phone buzzes, “Shit!” he answers.

In the palace lobby, Abby talks into her phone, “David, Shaw’s not leaving.”

David, “What?!”

Abby, “He says he wants to go to the dinner!”

David, “That’s not what we agreed to!”

Abby, “I know, but he keeps asking to talk to you!”

David, “Fuck! Okay, just give me a minute.” He hangs up.

Jack, “What?”

David, “Gerald’s up to his old bullshit, I’ve gotta go handle it.” He gets up.

• In the front area of the palace, Abby tries to placate Gerald, “Your Excellency, please, surely you understood that when we said you’d be kept away from Prince Jack-”

Shaw interrupts, “The dinner is as much a part of Royal Council as is the discussion!”

David enters, furious, “What the fuck?!” He goes up to Shaw, “We made an agreement, Gerald, and I am losing my fucking patience!”

Shaw, “The agreement was that I would leave the palace after the skull was turned over, not that I would be excluded from dinner.”

David, “I was pretty fucking clear, you would leave the palace and not come back!”

Shaw sneers, “Look at you, all righteously angry. Do you know how many nights I had to break bread with Silas? To sit helplessly beside my wife while she looked into the eyes of the man who killed her father?”

David, bitterly sarcastic, “And I feel so fucking sorry for you!”

Shaw, “There’s a reason the dinner happens. All nations set aside their differences and have a peaceful gathering. To be excluded from that dinner is to be excluded from that peace. It’s an insult to be uninvited.”

David, “Don’t fucking pretend you don’t deserve that insult.”

Abby goes up to him, “David!”

David, “What?”

Abby, “Can I speak with you in private for a moment?”

She takes him into a secluded area, “David, you need to invite him to the dinner.”

David, furious, “What? No! Fuck no!”

Abby, “Jack doesn’t have to be there.”

David, “Yes he fucking does! He’s fought just as hard as I have, I’m not leaving him out of shit like this! I want people to see him by my side!”

Abby, “Look, Shaw’s not wrong about the peace shit, people watch things like this, and to see Shaw be left out, it sends a huge message about how committed you are to peace!”

David, “I gave him the skull and shook his fucking hand!”

Abby exasperated, “David!” She puts her hand on her forehead and thinks for a moment, “Look, I know you don’t want to hear this, but-”

David, “But what?!”

Abby looks at him, “Jack is your weakness, and everyone fucking knows it. Now, whenever Shaw has to deal with you, he’s gonna try his damndest to get close to Jack.”

David, “Then we’ll just have to do everything we can to stop him!”

Abby, “If Jack can look Shaw in the eye and show him that he can’t hurt him, it’ll shut him down.”

David, “No, fuck no! If you let him in the room, he’ll try to shake his hand!”

Abby, “We’ll set rules.”

David, “No, I am not doing this!”

Abby, “Have you even asked Jack about this? He’s tough, and willing to do hard things if it means peace.”

David, “It’s about me, okay? I can’t fucking stand to see Gerald close to Jack, I just can’t!”

Abby, “I know you can’t, but goddamnit, you have to!”

David takes a deep breath and thinks for a moment, “If Jack says no, that’s it, don’t try to talk him into it, just get Gerald the fuck out of here.”

Abby, “Okay.”

David sighs heavily, “All right. I’ll go ask him.”

• David goes into the residence, followed by Abby. Jack looks up at him curiously.

Michelle, “What the fuck was that?”

David sits down across from Jack, and leans in close to him. In a low voice, “Jack, look, Gerald is demanding that he be invited to the dinner. I thought we’d agreed to keep him out of the palace, but, somehow, he keeps finding this bullshit.”

Abby, “I think we need to show him that he can’t hurt you.”

Michelle, “What? That’s fucking absurd, does he actually expect Jack to just be there?”

David, “He doesn’t have to be there, Michelle, you can come with me.”

Michelle, “I am not having dinner with you.”

David, “Then Abby!”

Abby, “It’s strictly royals only, no advisors.”

David, “Fine, I’ll get Mom! She’s got a million stories about me and my brothers, she’ll be great.”

Jack, “No.”

David, “I’ll tell Gerald-”

Jack cuts him off, “No!” he struggles with the words, “Dinner… o-okay.”

David, confused, “You want to do it?”

Jack, “Yes.”

David, “You don’t have to.”

Jack, with more emphasis, “Dinner.”

David stares at him for a moment, and then says, very quietly, “Jack, I- I know you don’t remember it, but…” he takes a deep breath, “You were scared. You were unarmed, and defenseless, and he had the gun pointed at you, and you were scared. He didn’t even look at you when he pulled the trigger. There- there was blood coming out of your nose, and mouth and ears, and there was so much of it… He didn't care. He did that to you and he was _angry_ because Silas killed himself before he could...”

Jack, slowly, “I’m alive.”

David, “Jack…”

Jack, “I’m still alive.”

  * •Shaw waits patiently in the palace lobby.



David goes up to him and gets in his face, “You will not talk to Jack. You will not go _anywhere near_ Jack. You will not even _look_ at Jack. I will be keeping an eye on you all night, and if you so much as _glance_ in his direction, you will be made to leave!”

Shaw, “Does this mean I’m invited to the dinner?”

David, “Yes!”

Shaw, “I’ll see you then.”

  * Dressed in a tux for dinner, David graciously welcomes Laura and her handsome date to the palace, Jack happily standing by his side.



Laura, “I’d like you to meet Commander Roman Nguyen.”

Roman, “Pleased to meet you, your majesty, and your highness.” He shakes David’s hand, and then Jack’s.

David, “David and Jack. Nice to meet you.”

Jack, “Hi."

David looks over at Laura, “So he’s your date?”

Laura, playfully, “A queen doesn’t have _dates_ , or _boyfriends_ , but yes, he’s my boyfriend. He’s also an astronaut.”

David’s face lights up, “Really?!”

Roman, “Yes.”

David, “That is so cool!”

The door behind them opens, and Shaw and Marlene enter. Shaw keeps his gaze on David, way from Jack. Jack stares determinedly in the other direction. David glares and then looks away.

A host hurries over, “Hello, your excellence, Mrs. Achison-Shaw, right this way….” he leads them away into another room.

Laura, “You’ll do fine tonight, David.”

David, “Thanks.”

  * David plays a beautiful classical piece on the piano while the other monarchs and their spouses sit behind him, watching. The dining room is made over with an eye towards modernity and comfort, but still regal and refined. Jack sits, watching proudly, as far away from Shaw as he can be. David finishes the piece, and everyone applauds politely.



David turns around, smiling charmingly, “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Anthony, “Where did you learn to play like that?”

David, “My dad. He was incredibly gifted.”

John, “I’m always glad to see a king who places great importance on the fine arts. I found myself quite pleasantly surprised by how cultured Silas was, in spite of his rough packaging.”

David, “If there’s one thing Silas and I could agree on, it’s that art and music are great ways to get girls,” he glances at Jack, “And boys,” he looks at Roman, “But not as good as going into space, right?”

Roman, “Well, space itself is a pretty terrible place to meet women, but going there does significantly increase your chances once you’re back on Earth.”

David, “You know, the three stars in the AFG flag represent Orion’s belt.”

Roman, “I didn’t know that.”

Jack, “Nerd.”

Everyone awkwardly glances at him.

Jack, “D-David. Nerd.”

David, “Jack likes to tease me.”

Another host enters from the dining room, “Dinner is served.”

  * Everyone tucks into dinner.



Anthony speaks up, “You know, Jack, I always knew I’d have Council dinner with you some day, but I never thought it would be like this.”

David reaches over and puts his hand on Jack’s, “Jack is very glad to be here.”

John, “We’re all very surprised to that we’re here in Gilboa and nothing’s blown up.”

David recognizes the shade bit laughs anyway, “I’m trying to keep it that way.”

Lawrence, “Tell me, David, do you ever fear that you might become like Silas?”

David, taken about, “Pardon?”

Lawrence, "Power has a way of corrupting even the purest of intentions.”

David, “I actually spoke about this with my mom before I officially announced that I was going to lead the rebellion. Long story short, my mom believes I can be a good king, and I don’t want to disappoint my mom.”

Laura, “David is a good person. I’ve seen enough evil people to recognize them, and David isn’t one.”

Lawrence, “Hm. I have to say I was surprised when you appointed Caesar Reinhardt to your cabinet. One would think that someone like him would be persecuted, not given important government positions.”

David, “It was a practical choice. Gilboa needs smart people defending it, and unfortunately the AFG is somewhat short on experienced military leaders.”

Lawrence gives him a skeptical look, “What about Joel Bronikov?”

David, “What about him? You heard his testimony.”

Lawrence, “You say he’s loyal to you.”

David, “He is.”

Lawrence, “But not so loyal he won’t disobey orders.”

David, “The coup was Queen Rose’s idea.”

Lawrence, “And you’re still putting him in charge of the ministry of justice?”

David, “After much thought, yes. He proved himself in writing the declaration of rights.

Lawrence, “In my experience, authoritarians tend to be the most loyal. They put the cause above all else. And when citizens begin to question the cause, they see it as high treason.”

David, “We’re not doing that. The Gilboan justice system is being entirely re-built to fit within the declaration of rights.”

Lawrence, “Bronikov disobeyed you, and not only did you forgive him, you gave him one of the most important positions in your government.”

David, “Joel still answers to my authority. No one else is the king of Gilboa.”

Lawrence, “Except perhaps the former king’s son.”

Jack’s eyes flash with anger, “No! N-no!”

David, “Jack has been very clear that he has no desire to be king.”

Lawrence, “He’ll just marry one. That part confuses me.”

David, sarcastically, “Yes, why would anyone marry the person they love?” He grips Jack's hand.

Jack, “Serve. I want to serve.”

Lawrence, “That’s quite a turn around from the boy I’ve always known.”

David, furious, “You don’t know Jack! You don’t know the courageous leader who fought beside me, who saved my life many times! And you don’t know me!”

Lawrence, “I know history, and I know politics. Bright young idealists either die or turn into tyrants. Look at Silas, Nicholas Achison, Vesper Abbadon! Before you came along, Damian Meyer tried to free Moab, but he was murdered by Norris Wall!”

Laura, “And what about me, then? I have sworn to carry on King Damian’s legacy.”

Lawrence, “While living off of your husband’s blood money.”

Warner, “I agree with Lawrence. A king has to be able to defend his crown.”

David, “Shut up. I’m giving you Abbadon so our countries can make peace.”

Anthony, “What?”

David, “Silas kept Vesper Abbadon alive and hidden. He will be extradited to Ammon once Warner agrees to a peace deal.”

Anthony, “Holy shit!”

Queen Erin gives him a sharp nudge.

Anthony, “Oh, sorry!” He looks at Jack, “Did you know about this, Jack?”

Jack shrugs.

Lawrence, “You may have luck on your side, David, but that luck will run out.”

David, “Yeah, I was really lucky when Alek Amal’s dead man switch killed my brother. I fought a gruesome war that left me scarred. I’ve fought for my country and bled for it, and lost and still became king. Your crown was handed to you.”

Lawrence gives David a long, scrutinizing look, and then bursts out laughing, “I’m testing you, of course. Just like I tested Silas and Warner when they had their confirmation council dinners.”

Anthony and John both laugh.

Warner laughs genially, “Lawrence had me barking at mine.”

Laura, haughtily, “I don’t remember you testing Norris.”

Lawrence, “Moab has a new king every five or ten years. I didn’t see the point.”

Laura and David exchange eye contact and share a moment of contempt.

Lawrence, “You must thicken your skin, David.”

Off on his end of the table, Shaw smirks happily and shares a soft laugh with Marlene.

David, “Thank you for your patronizing advice. I have been shot, stabbed, beaten, burned, and poisoned, all while you sat comfortably in your palace, but yes, I need to be tougher.”

Lawrence chuckles darkly, “You know, it’s funny. Twenty years ago, Silas said almost the exact same thing.”

  * David says goodbye to the monarchs, Jack sitting behind him.



Laura, Roman beside her, hugs David, “I’m so proud of you.”

David, “Thanks, Laura.”

Laura, “Don’t hesitate to call me if you ever need advice.”

David, “I always need advice.”

Laura, “You’ll do fine.”

David, “Bye.”

Laura, “Bye.” She leaves.

David turns to the last remaining monarchs: Shaw and Marlene, and mutters, “Oh, fuck.”

Marlene approaches, “David, I wanted to offer you my genuine thanks for returning my father’s skull.”

David, gracious, “You’re very welcome.”

Shaw approaches, carefully not looking at Jack, who glares at him.

Shaw, “If I may, I’d like to offer an apology to Prince Jack.”

David, “No. Fuck you. I know you’re just trying to upset the both of us, and I’m not letting you do it anymore.”

Jack takes a few uneasy steps up to where David stands. He stares hard at Shaw, who steadfastly avoids looking at him.

Shaw, “If he’s here, am I allowed to look at him?”

Jack, “I’m still alive.”

Shaw looks at him, and the two stare at each other for a long moment. Shaw, “Will you accept my apology?”

Jack, “No. Fuck you.”

David, “Gilboa will make peace with Gath, but as far as I’m concerned, you can go fuck yourself.”


	53. S6, E4: You'll Be Given Love

**“You’ll Be Given Love”**

James and Ethan stand on a stage.

James, “Uh, hi, I’m James Shepherd.”

Ethan, “I’m Ethan Shepherd.”

James, “We’re here tonight because tomorrow, my baby brother, David, is getting married.”

[(“LGBT” CupcakKe)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2_vCGj5_l4) Cut to: the greatest Pride party Gilboa has ever witnessed. Somehow, David has lost his shirt, but it clearly doesn’t bother him. In a very full club, he dances like an idiot with his brothers, AFG members, and random colorful partiers. A drag queen pours champagne into his open mouth. Male, female, and gender-indeterminate strippers dance and get money thrown at them. Shots after shots get served. David vogues like a motherfucker and lands a flawless death drop.

Cut to: David sits in the sunroof of his limo, chugging from a bottle of champagne while his brothers hang out other windows. The whole city has come to cheer for him: people wave AFG and pride flags and dance in the streets.

  * Morning, David lays passed out on a sofa while James and Ethan lay passed out in chairs, liquor bottles still strewn around. Michelle, clearly not pleased, shakes David’s shoulder. He struggles to open his eyes and sees her holding out a tablet blaring the headline, “KING OF THOTS!” with a picture of him shirtless and grinding on a stripper.



David, “Oh, fuck.”

Michelle, “You are marrying my brother in four hours.”

David, “Shit. Okay.” He tries to sit up, and rubs his head.

Michelle, “Jesus, how hung-over are you?”

David, “Very.”

Behind him, James stirs, “Oh, fuck.”

Michelle, “You completely embarrassed yourself last night, and now there’s footage of you grinding with some nameless stripper all over the internet.”

David, “Okay, first of all, I wanted to stay in, but Jack told me to go out. Secondly, I had fun. I think the last time I properly had fun was our People’s Hotel blowout.”

Michelle, “That’s no way for a king to behave! You embarrassed the whole country last night!”

David, “Since when did you turn into Rose?”

Michelle, “Since when did you turn into a dumb slut?!”

David, “Oh, I should have known this was about Beth.”

Michelle, “This is about you being an idiot!”

David rubs his face, “Can I at least eat something while you scream at me?” he turns to the bros, “Who wants eggs?” Two miserable groans. David gets up and heads for the kitchen.

Michelle follows him, “You embarrassed Jack last night!”

David, “I did not.”

Michelle, “Yes, you did!”

David, “It was his idea! He made me go out” He gets a carton of eggs out of the fridge and sets to making a shitload of scrambled eggs.

Michelle, “You embarrassed _me_ last night!”

David, “You’re gonna be my sister-in-law. How exactly does that qualify as someone who gets embarrassed by my behavior?”

Michelle, “You’re a fucking king, David! You have to act like one!”

David, “Does that mean that I don’t get to celebrate the fact that I’m gonna marry the love of my life?”

Michelle, “It means you have to act with dignity! What the fuck happened to your shirt?!”

David, “Uh…. it kind of disappeared.”

Michelle, dismayed, “Oh my god.”

David, “Hey, I remember seeing pictures of Jack doing that kind of shit all the time.”

Michelle, “Because he was fucking miserable and lashing out at our parents!”

David, “So, can I say that I, too, am lashing out at Silas?”

Michelle, “No.”

David, “Where is Jack, anyway?”

Michelle, “He’s upstairs with Mom.”

David, “Did he sleep last night?”

Michelle, “Yes.”

David, “Good. Then we have nothing to worry about today.”

Michelle, “Except for your hungover ass vomiting during your vows.”

David, “You’re a medic, give me some anti-nausea medicine, then!”

Michelle rolls her eyes and mutters, “You should drink something with electrolytes in it, get re-hydrated.”

David, “Okay, I will.”

Michelle, “Lucky for you, I’ve nursed Jack through more than a few hangovers. If I can get him looking well enough that Dad doesn’t notice that he’s totally shitfaced, I can get you to look decent in your wedding pictures.”

David, “You’re amazing, Michelle.”

Michelle, “I’m doing this for Jack. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that I’ve forgiven you in any way.”

David, “Are you ever going to forgive me?”

Michelle, “Probably not.”

David, “Oh, come on, we’re gonna be family! And because of me, you and Abby got married, too!”

Michelle, sarcastic, “Call the Vatican, you’re eligible for sainthood.”

David, “If you can get me through a hangover for Jack’s sake, you can forgive me for Jack’s sake.”

Michelle, “I’m fucking talking to you for Jack’s sake.”

David, “Look, I really fucked up with Beth. I admit that, I own that. But this doesn’t make me the same as Silas.”

Michelle, “Say that again and I will slam your face into that pan of hot eggs.”

David, “Well, what am I supposed to say?”

Michelle, “Nothing! I’d be fine with you never speaking to me again!”

David, “I’m not gonna do that.”

Michelle, “Then just accept the fact that I can hold a fucking grudge, okay?”

  * In Rose’s apartment, Jack and Rose argue.



Rose, “I am not wearing that. I’m still in mourning for your father. I can’t be seen wearing something like that.”

Jack, “No black!”

Rose, “There’s black in this dress!”

Jack shoots her a look that says you know what I mean.

Rose simpers down at the dress, “You know I wouldn’t be caught dead in Versace.”

Jack, “ _Exactly_.”

Rose, “After David’s antics last night, I won’t be able to look any of the other queens in the face. I can’t imagine what they’re saying right now.”

Jack, “David can party.” He picks the dress up and pushes it towards Rose, “Wear it!”

Rose, “Can I at least wear a blazer over it?”

Jack, “No!”

Michelle enters.

Rose, “How is David?”

Michelle, “He’s a dumb ho with a hangover, but I’m going to have him ready and looking good for the wedding, even if I have to sign a deal with Satan to do it.”

Jack, “Tell Mom.”

Michelle, “Tell her what?”

Jack points at the dress, “Wear this.”

Michelle looks at it, “You should wear it, Mom. You can’t wear all black to a wedding.”

Rose, “I never imagined this would be what I’d wear to Jack’s wedding.”

Jack, hopefully, “Wear it?!”

Rose, “I might as well. Nothing else is going to be like what I imagined.”

Michelle, sharply, “What _did_ you imagine, Mom?”

Rose, “A nice ceremony befitting a royal family. Something visible to the public, not just a small, private ceremony.”

Jack and Michelle exchange looks.

Jack, frustrated, “I don’t… _talking_.”

Rose, “I know, I know. This is much easier for you, and you shouldn’t have to worry at your wedding. But you do have to grant me the right to be unhappy about the name change. We named you Jonathan Benjamin thinking you’d stay Jonathan Benjamin.”

Michelle, “Dad didn’t even like Jonathan.”

Rose, “It’s a family name!”

Jack, “Jack Shepherd,” he concentrates hard and slowly says, “My name is Jack Shepherd.”

Michelle, quietly, “He’s been practicing that all week.”

Rose looks sadly down at Jack, swallows hard, and then says, “I just never once thought I’d be doing all this without your father. All he ever wanted was for you two to be happy.”

Michelle, bitterly sarcastic, “I’m sure that’s exactly what was on his mind when he forced us to watch him dropping bombs on David.”

Rose, “Don’t bring that up! Not today!”

Michelle, “You’re the one who brought it up!”

Jack, “STOP!” He gives them both a dirty look.

Rose, resigned, “I’ll wear the dress.” She pauses, and then looks at Michelle, “Is David still downstairs?”

Michelle, “I think so?”

Rose, “I’m going to give him his gift.”

  * Back in David’s kitchen, David, James and Ethan eat scrambled eggs and chug gatorade.



Rose enters, David sees her, “Hi, Rose.” The others all make sounds somewhat like greetings.

Rose, “I trust you all enjoyed yourselves last night.”

David, “Yes, we did.”

Rose, “I’m giving you your gift early.” She pulls a key out of her pocket and hands it to David. He looks at it.

Rose, “There’s a cabin up in the mountains, in a beautiful wooded area. It’s miles away from anywhere else. There’s a nearby stream for fishing, land for hunting, and a garden for the summer. It’s been set up for you and Jack to spend your honeymoon, and it’s yours to visit any time you wish.”

David, “Wow, thanks, Rose!”

Ethan, “I want a cabin.”

James, “Stage a coup and you can get one.”

Ethan goes up behind David and grabs him, making a chokehold, “Easy.” David drops his eggs with a spectacular clatter and tries to wrestle Ethan away. James hoots and yells.

David breaks free of Ethan’s grip and then pins him to the counter, “Not today!”

James applauds. David, “I bested Silas and Amal, you really think you can beat me?”

Ethan sputters, “You’re my fucking baby brother, man! You’re just lucky I’m hungover!”

David lets Ethan go, “And you’re lucky I’m a merciful king!”

Rose struggles to maintain her composure, “Perhaps you boys should get ready.”

David, still laughing, “Yeah, don’t worry, we’ll be ready.”

  * An elevator door dings open and Rose steps out. She heads down a hallway towards the dressing room. She pauses and look out a window at the front of the palace. A massive crowd stands outside, cheering, waving flags, and happily showing support for David and Jack. The kind of crowds she’s always dreamed of seeing at Jack’s wedding, but under very different circumstances. She sniffs and turns away.



She goes into the dressing room, and stops short when she sees Helen and Michelle laughing and looking at pretty dresses.

Michelle looks back and sees her, “Hey, Mom, have you got your dress?”

Rose, “Helen… I’m surprised to see you.”

Michelle, “I told you I invited her, Mom. Jack probably wouldn’t be able to talk yet if it weren’t for the time she spent with him in the hospital.”

Rose, “Of course. How are you, Helen?”

Helen, “I’m well, actually. I’m living in my own apartment, and I’m considering renewing my nurse’s registration.”

Rose, “How lovely. I’ll be getting ready in my room. I just wanted to make sure that you were getting ready.”

Michelle, “Yeah, I’m not gonna miss Jack’s wedding! I’m just helping Helen pick something first!”

Rose tries but fails to hide her contempt, “Well, don’t take too long, then.”

Michelle, “You knew she was invited, right?”

Rose, “Yes, I saw her name on the guest list, I just didn’t expect she’d come here, given what she’s experienced.”

Helen, “I’m happy to be here for Jack.”

Rose, “Of course you are.”

  * Rose gets ready in her room, wearing the dress that Jack picked out for her underneath a black blazer. On her vanity, a portrait of young Silas gazes at her. She searches around in her massive jewelry box, and then finds something. She pulls out an old butterfly pin, an odd piece of cheap costume jewelry. She looks at it for a moment, and then sticks it into her pocket.



  * Jack sits in his wheelchair by the doorway to the mall, groomed and ready to go. He looks up and smiles as Rose approaches.



Rose, “Are you ready?”

Jack, “Yep.”

Rose, “You certainly look handsome,” she smiles warmly, “Can you stand for a moment?” She helps him stand up. Rose reaches into her pocket and pulls out the butterfly pin. She pins it on Jack’s chest.

He looks down at it curiously, “What?”

Rose, “It’s just cheap costume jewelry. I wore it when I married your father. At first I thought Michelle would wear it at her wedding, but that wasn’t going to happen. So then I thought, well, at least the girl you married could wear it at your wedding, but then that wasn’t going to happen.” She straightens his lapel, and then looks him in the eye. Softly, she says, “You should be the one who wears it. After all, you’re the one marrying a king.”

Jack, “Thanks, Mom.” Rose hugs him tightly.

  * Outside the national cathedral, massive crowds gather to cheer and wave flags.



Inside, Rose is greeted by Christine, “How are you dear?”

Rose, “I’m doing well.”

Christine, “Just doing well? I always thought on Jack’s wedding day, you’d be jubilant.”

Rose, “I am jubilant.”

Christine casts a disapproving look down at Rose’s ensemble, “You know it’s gauche to wear black to a wedding.”

Rose, “I'm still in mourning."

Christine, "For Silas, or for Jack?”

Rose, “Have Andrew and Chloe arrived yet?”

Christine, “Yes, they have,” she lowers her voice, “And I’m keeping a close eye on Andrew. I told him he was only attending out of your good will, and if he acts up, you will kick him out.”

Rose, “Wonderful. I’m glad the Cross family is being represented today.”

Christine, “Would you like to meet your new grand-niece?”

Rose smiles, “I would like that very much.”

Cut to: Chloe holds her daughter, Zoe, in her lap while Christine introduces Rose. Andrew sits beside them, making no effort to hide his boredom.

Rose beams, “She’s so lovely,” she cocks her head to the side, and a small wince of pain shows him her face. Softly, she says, “She has my mother’s eyes.”

Chloe laughs, “Really?”

Rose, smiling sadly, “Oh, yes. Jack and Michelle both looked like Silas when they were born, I was relieved when Jack’s eyes turned the same color as my mother’s. I was glad to see that at least a little bit of my family was in there."

Beside them, Andrew rolls his eyes. He huffs, “Please excuse me for a moment.” He stands up and leaves.

Quietly, Christine says to Rose, “Thank you so much for inviting us.”

Rose, “Why wouldn't I? You're family.” She sits back in her seat, quiet for a moment, and then says, “Thank you for coming.”

Christine, “I knew you would need me today.”

  * Andrew searches out a secluded place to wait. He turns down a hallway, and is surprised to see Adam standing there.



They look at each other awkwardly for a moment, and then Andrew says, “We do keep running into each other, don’t we?”

Adam, “How did you get here?"

Andrew, "My Aunt Rose invited me so she could create the image of a happy family. Why are you here?”

Adam, “I got invited.”

Andrew, “No, why are you _here_ , in this hallway?”

Adam, "I don't like crowds."

Andrew smirks, “PTSD? Good luck with that, then.”

  * The ceremony, David is unabashedly emotional.



He beams stupidly at Jack and fights back tears as the pastor says, “Do you David take Jack to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

David, “I do!”

Beside Rose, Jessie sobs happily. On Rose’s other side, Michelle and Abby hold hands and giggle. Beside them, Helen smiles brightly. Rose stares down at her hands, fiddling with her wedding rings. The engagement band has a small diamond, the kind a poor soldier would have been able to afford.

The pastor says to Jack, “Do you, Jack, take David as your lawfully wedded husband?”

Rose looks up, knowing she has to put on a smile.

Jack, “I do.” Rose clenches her hands and suppresses a grimace.

Pastor, “I now pronounce you married. You may kiss your husband!” Jack and David kiss and hug. Everyone applauds.

Rose goes along, but fights back tears.

  * Jack and David happily stand on the palace balcony, waving to the adoring masses below.



Inside the palace, Rose watches from a window. Behind her, Abby, Michelle, Jessie, and Helen watch, as well.

Michelle says to Abby, “This is so embarrassing. Can you imagine if we had to do this shit at our wedding?”

Abby, “And my mom still finds a way to say that David ruined it." They both laugh.

Helen silently dabs at her eyes.

Jessie, “Are you all right?"

Helen, "Oh, I'm fine.”

Jessie takes her hand encouragingly, “It's all right to not be fine.”

Helen sniffs and wipes a tear, "It just struck me that I'm never going to see Seth get married.”

Jessie hugs her, “I know what that’s like.”

Helen, softly, “Thank you.”

Jessie steps back, “I don’t know how many times I’ve wondered what John would think of all this king business. I know at least he’d be delighted to see David marrying someone he loves, even if that someone happens to be a prince.”

Rose casts them a contemptuous look, “I’m going to go prepare for the evening.” She leaves.

  * Inside, the ballroom is prepared for the evening reception. Rose sweeps around in a fine black evening dress, making final touches.



She talks to the photographer, “This evening is a reception for both Michelle and Jack, so I want you to get pictures of them both equally. Once the guests have arrived they’re going to make an entrance over there…”

An aide approaches her, “Ma’am, you’re needed upstairs.”

  * Rose goes up into Jack and David’s residence. Jack and David are both sharply dressed for the evening, but Jack sits in a chair, while David stands next to him.



Rose, “What do you need?”

David looks up at her, “I don’t think we can do the whole grand entrance thing, Jack’s feeling dizzy.”

Rose goes over to Jack, “What, is something wrong?”

Jack, “Fine. Just dizzy.”

David, “It’s gonna be hard for him to walk into the ballroom.”

Rose, “Oh, it’s just a few feet! If you hold on to David’s arm-”

Jack interrupts, “I’m dizzy!”

David, “Can’t we just skip the entrance?”

Rose, “You need to be seen! You can’t just go in with a wheelchair…”

Jack interrupts, “Mom!”

David, “It’s mostly just my cousins and AFG vets at the reception, not a bunch of fancy society people. We don’t need a big entrance.”

Rose struggles to hide her bitterness, “Oh, fine. I’ll set up a reception area. Instead of you coming to the guests, the guests will come to you. Does that sound all right?”

Jack, “Yes.”

Rose, “I’ll get it set up.” She exits.

She goes back down into the ballroom, and begins giving out orders, “We won’t be doing the entrance, have a small reception area set up.”

  * In the ballroom, Abby argues with her mom. Frieda, “I just wish you’d worn a dress.”



Abby, “I fucking hate dresses, Mom!”

Frieda, “You’d look so pretty.”

Abby, “We are not having this conversation right now!”

In the receiving area, Michelle helps Jack get into his seat. She's dressed in a slinky pale pink dress with a tiara, a princess celebrating her wedding.

Michelle, "You good?”

Jack, “Yeah.” Michelle pulls up a chair beside him and sits. They both survey the ballroom. On the other end, David talks happily to the staff working the room.

Michelle, “Do you ever wonder what your wedding would be like if David hadn't come along and you'd married some girl?”

Jack, “What?”

Michelle, “I mean like, if Mom had the big, fancy heterosexual royal wedding of her dreams.”

Jack, “M-miserable.”

Michelle, “Yeah, no shit you'd be miserable, but, come on. What if you actually married Katrina Ghent? Or that one bitch, what’s her name, Lucy?”

Jack, “Lucinda.”

Michelle, “Can you even imagine what an obscene extravaganza Mom would make for that? Like look how happy we are, we're going to reproduce!" She can’t hide the bitterness in her voice, “Christ, can you imagine if I'd have gotten married to a boy, with Silas walking me down the aisle, daddy’s little girl getting married?!” She laughs harshly.

Jack looks at her curiously.

Michelle slumps her shoulders a little bit and looks away, “Sorry. I shouldn’t be saying shit like that today.”

She reaches over and puts her hand on Jack’s, “We’re lucky. We can have what we want.”

Jack, “I wanted bigger.”

Michelle looks at him, “What?”

Jack, “Me and David. Big wedding. Big gay wedding. D-David wanted small.”

Michelle laughs incredulously, “Well, that's one way to say, fuck you, Silas."

  * At the reception, everything goes well. Michelle, Abby, and David stand to greet guests while Jack sits in a chair in between them. Frankie gives David a hi-five and a big hug.



Somewhere in line, Chloe and Andrew to shake hands with the newlywed royals.

Chloe, “This is so cool! You've got to stop publishing bad shit about David, I want to get invited back!”

Andrew, “The truth doesn't stop mattering because of a few good parties. If you want more invites, ask my mother, she’ll make sure you get in.”

Chloe gasps and grabs Andre’s arm, “Oh my god, is that Monique Magnifique?! I love her!"

Back with the royals, during a quick break between guests, David checks in with Jack, “Are you doing okay?”

Jack, “Yep.”

Michelle, “You’re real royalty now, David. Just try not to think of how many people scratched their ass before shaking your hand.”

Andrew and Chloe step up.

Michelle, “Jesus, I specifically told Mom not to invite you!”

Andrew, “It’s wonderful to see you again, Michelle.”

Chloe, “Hi!”

Michelle, “Hi, Chloe.”

Andrew steps toward David, “Your Majesty, it is an absolute honor to be meeting you again.”

David cautiously plays along, “Yeah, glad to see you.”

Andrew, “Jack, I see you’ve progressed well with your recovery.”

Jack, “Eat me.”

Andrew turns to David, “Last time I saw him, he couldn't even speak to insult me,” he changes tone, “I’d like to introduce you to my wife Chloe.”

David shakes her hand, “You just had a baby, didn’t you?”

Chloe laughs and snorts, utterly delighted and star-struck, “Yeah, I did!”

David, “Well, I’m very glad to meet you.”

Chloe, “You’re the king!”

Andrew, “I know my publication-”

Jack interrupts, “Gossip website.”

Andrew, “I only serve the truth. You have said all along that you intent to be open and honest. As long as you aren’t hiding anything, I’d say you and I are on the same side.”

David, “And if I find out that you’re accepting classified information from Gath, I’m going to shut you down.”

Andrew laughs, “You have nothing to fear.”

Jack, “Lying motherfucker.”

Andrew, "Truly his father's son.”

Michelle, “Eat a bag of dicks!” Chloe giggles.

Andrew, “It was a lovely wedding, and I hope you enjoy your reception.”

  * Later, on the dance floor, Michelle and Abby happily dance. Jessie dances with Ethan. Chloe dances with a handsome AFG vet.



David cautiously approaches Rose, “May I have this dance?”

Rose looks at him for a moment, slightly dismayed, and then says, “Well, I can't say no, can I?” David leads her onto the dance floor, and they begin to dance. People stop and watch.

Rose, “You know, Silas was quite a dancer.”

David, “Really?”

Rose, “God, yes. He was always doing things to try and impress me, and he was a terrible showoff. A hip injury ended it, though.”

David, softly, “You must miss him.”

Rose is taken slightly aback, “I… I do,” she pauses for a moment, and says, “It’s hard to mourn for a man like Silas.”

David, "You still loved him.”

Rose smiles, sadly, “Yes, I did.”

  * On the palace helipad, Jessie hugs David while Jack says goodbye to Rose and Michelle.



David, “We’re spending two weeks at the cabin Rose gave us. It’ll just be us, but we’ll stay in contact with everyone, so you don’t have to worry.”

Jessie, “I’m not worried!” She takes David’s hands and she smiles up at him, he eyes full of tears, “I’m so happy for you. As a mom, I never hoped or dreamed that you’d be a hero or a king, but I always hoped that you’d find someone to love,” she looks adoringly over at Jack, “And I couldn’t be happier that Jack is that person!” She leans in and hugs him tightly.

From the back, Michelle says, “I’m really happy for you, too. You go and enjoy having nothing to do for two weeks okay?”

Jack and David both laugh and say okay.

Rose steps forward. She kneels down to where she can be eye to eye with Jack, and takes his hand. Her voice shakes and her eyes fill with tears, “I-I know that your father and I didn’t always love you the way you deserve to be loved. It’s my deepest shame. I wish so badly I could go back and let you be the person you are, because you are truly an incredible, brave person. I wish so many things were different, but I’m so happy that you found David. He loves you so, so much. You two are going to be so happy together. And that’s all I want. I’m proud of you. I truly am. She lowers her voice, “And your father would be very happy for you, too.”

Michelle laughs angrily, “Dad?”

Rose and Jack look at her.

Michelle, “Dad would rather shoot himself again than see Jack marry David!”

Rose, “Michelle!”

Michelle, “I’m sorry, but it’s true!”

Rose, “You don’t know that!”

Michelle, “And you don’t know that he’d be happy!”

Rose covers her mouth in dismay.

Michelle looks at Jack, “Look, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. You and David go off to your cabin and be happy, okay? Forget about Dad and forget about what I said. Just go be happy,” her voice trembles bitterly, “Please.” She turns around and leaves.

Rose calls after her, “Michelle! _Michelle_!” She looks desperately back at Jack, “She didn’t mean that!”

Jack puts a hand on Rose’s shoulder, “It’s okay.”

The helicopter pilot comes up to them, and says to David, “We can leave whenever you’re ready, sir.” David nods, and puts his hand on Jack’s shoulder.

Rose, “Go. Have a good time. Enjoy yourselves. We’ll all be fine back here.”

Jack hugs Rose, “I love you, Mom.”

Rose, “I love you, too.”

  * Michelle and Abby sit in the back of a limo.



Michelle sulks in her seat, gazing out the window, “Fucking traffic.”

Abby, “It’s the wedding. If we’re gonna be stuck in traffic, it might as well be in a royal limo.”

Michelle gets out a bottle of booze from the minibar and knocks it back.

Abby, “Are you okay?”

Michelle, “I’m fine.”

Abby, “You’ve been pissed off all day at an event where everyone else is happy.”

Michelle, “David pissed me off.”

Abby, “With the bachelor party?”

Michelle, “And the girl!”

Abby, “Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.”

Michelle gives her a dirty look, and they sit in silence for a moment.

Abby, “Jack still seemed pretty happy. Seems fair to say he’s forgiven David.”

Michelle, bitterly, “Well, I haven’t.”

Abby thinks for a moment, choosing her words carefully, “I’m gonna go out on a limb here, but is this some weird Silas bullshit?”

Michelle, “ _What?!_ ”

Abby, “Whenever you’re angry and I can’t figure out why, the answer is usually Silas.”

Michelle, “I am angry at _David_!”

Abby, “Who just made Jack happy in a major way, and I know you want Jack to be happy. This is about Silas.”

Michelle looks out the window angrily. Finally, she says, “Mom told Jack that Silas would be proud of him today. Please. He never wanted Jack to be happy.”

Abby, “Yeah except you definitely told me that he told you that he was proud of both you and Jack.”

Michelle, “What?”

Abby, “When he showed you all the family pictures.”

Michelle, “That was Silas trying to convince us he wasn’t a complete sack of shit!”

Abby, “Do you wish he was here?”

Michelle, “Jesus, no! I love Jack, I’d never want to put him through that!”

Abby, “Do you wish he was at our wedding?”

Michelle, “Silas is dead. There’s no point in talking about any of this!”

Abby, “Well, we’re here, and we’re talking about it,” she looks out the window, “And it looks like we’re going to be stuck here for a while.” Another very long, awkward silence.

Michelle mutters, "I used to dream about my wedding, a lot, when I was little. I mean, it’s what little girls do, dream about a big white princess wedding with my daddy walking me down the aisle. And then I learned about genetically transmitted diseases and I knew that any kids I had would be sick," she sniffs, “No child deserves what I went through, what Seth and Kathleen went through. But what choice did I have? I’m a fucking princess, and a princess's only purpose is to get married and reproduce. It used to make me sick, thinking that I'd have to bring a sick kid into this world, and watch them suffer, the way I was suffering. I made my vows when I was weak, delirious, and desperate not to die. I regretted them almost immediately, they seemed so stupid and childish… but then I realized that if I never got married, I'd never have to have kids. So it's what I did. I gave up on this fantasy of falling in love and having a beautiful wedding. And then… everything fucking changed. Suddenly, I’m not a princess anymore, and I have control over my life. I can do things! I can have what I want! I can have what I’ve always wanted, but been so, so scared of.” She looks over at Abby.

Abby reaches over and takes Michelle’s hand, “Did you want a big wedding?”

Michelle, “I… I want my Dad to see this. To know that I’m happy. And to be happy for me.” She breaks down crying.

Abby scoots over, puts her arm around Michelle, and pulls her in so she can cry on her shoulder.

Michelle, “I’m glad we got married the way we did. I just want to be married to you, more than anything. A big wedding would have cost a ton of money and been a pain in the ass. But it’s just fucked up I can have all this things that once seemed so fucking impossible, just not this one thing, this one fucking thing that means so much to me.” She sniffs and wipes her eyes.

Abby gently brushes the hair from her forehead.

Michelle, “I really miss my dad, sometimes.”

  * Rose walks through the palace hallways, exhausted. The evening went well, but she still wrings her hands with anxiety. She comes up to a portrait of Silas, and pauses. The portrait hangs slightly crooked. Carefully, Rose sets it straight.
  * Rose goes into her apartment. Christine follows behind her. Rose sits down and takes her shoes off.



Christine, “Are you all right, darling?”

Rose, “I’ll be fine. Michelle- Michelle said something awful about Silas, but the evening was a success.”

Christine, “What did she say?”

Rose, “That he would rather shoot himself again than see Jack marry David.”

Christine, “What a cunt. She gets it from you.”

Rose, “Would bring me a drink?”

Christine goes over to the bar and pours two drinks. She brings one over to Rose, and sits down beside her.

Rose sips her drink, “You know, when they performed Silas’s autopsy, they had to catalogue all the scars and old injuries that Silas had- no small task. Linus and I, we went through everything, identifying and remembering all the times he’d been wounded,” she sips her drink, “The doctor said Silas’s back- he’d never seen anything like his back- he said Silas would have been in pain- constant, agonizing pain,” she shakes her head, dismayed, “I never heard him so much as complain of a sore muscle.”

Christine, “Silas was a freak. He didn’t experience pain normally. I swear, half of those scars he got on purpose because you’d be there in the hospital, nursing him back to health.”

Rose, “There was this scar on his jawbone, the doctor explained he must have broken it at some point. Linus was terribly confused, Silas never broke his jaw in combat. But I knew. His father did that.” She blinks, and tears fall down her face, “Pain was the only constant in his life. I don’t think he knew what was like to not feel pain.”

Christine, “I’ll be honest with you, Rose. Silas might be happy to see his children to marry the people they love, even if his son-in-law is the one who overthrew him. But he’d never be happy just living a quiet life up in the mountains. He’d be miserable without a war to fight and a nation to lead, and you know it. He couldn’t stand losing. He couldn’t stand Gilboa carrying on without him. He died in a blaze of glory. He got exactly what he wanted.”

Rose, “So where does that leave me? Where am I in this glory?!”

Christine, “You’re the proud mother of two wonderful children who just married the people they love. You want them to be happy, and now you’re getting exactly what you want.”

  * In the bedroom of the cabin, Jack lays in bed, patiently waiting for David. “[All is Full of Love (Voltaic Version)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ_nPKHAHYI)” by Björk plays softly on the stereo. The bathroom door opens, and David steps out, his hair and skin still damp, a towel draped around his hips. Jack grins with delight as David approaches the bed and tosses the towel aside. David crawls into bed. He gives Jack a long, slow, passionate kiss. Jack loops his arm around David’s waist.



David, softly, “Hold on a sec…”

Jack sits his head to the side, “Hm?”

David runs his hand through Jack’s hair, “I just want to appreciate this for a moment,” he smiles brilliantly, “You’re my husband.”

Jack laughs, “You’re my husband.”

David laughs and kisses along Jack’s shoulder, “My husband, my husband…” he looks up into Jack’s eyes, “I’d like to introduce you to my husband, Jack Shepherd.”

Jack, “My name is Jack Shepherd.”

David beams with pride, tears filling his eyes, “You’re my husband. No one can take you away from me. I’m going to protect you. No one’s going to hurt you, ever again.”

Jack puts his hand on the back of David’s head, and draws their faces together, murmuring, “David, David…”

David puts a hand on Jack’s cheek, “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Jack struggles to find the right words, “I n-never, I never… I- I’m married. I’m happy. I never… I n-never… I love you.”

David kisses him, full of hot passion.

• Rose sits at her vanity, wearing a robe, her hair tied up behind her. She takes her makeup off with cold cream, and wipes that off with a towel. She looks at her makeup-free reflection, tired, sad, alone.

• In their bedroom, Abby zips Michelle out of her dress and leaves a line of slow kisses along her neck and shoulder. Michelle moans as Abby sticks a hand down her panties.

• Jack cries out, grasps at the sheets and arches his hips into David’s as they make love.

• Rose goes over to her side of the bed, which now seems much too large for just one person. She stops at her bedside table and sees a photograph of her younger self and Silas, wrapped in each other’s arms, laughing happily, deliriously in love. She picks up the picture frame and looks at it.

• Michelle’s toes curl as she drapes her legs over Abby’s shoulders. She leans back on the bed as Abby kneels on the floor and pleasures her. Without losing her pace, Abby reaches forward and takes Michelle’s hand, and Michelle grasps it as tightly as she can as she reaches climax.

• Jack lays blissfully in David’s arms, still somewhat in disbelief that this sort of happiness could actually happen to him.

• Rose puts the frame back down, picture side flat on the table. She takes her robe off, a plain nightgown on underneath. She gets into bed, and turns the light out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite part of this chapter is that David partying way too hard making an idiot of himself and getting chewed out by Michelle is actually in the Bible.
> 
> Fashion guide!
> 
> https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EV72lYqvcXqsTQi0uFdGMWzXC4mVOYtI?usp=sharing


	54. s6, e5: Forgiveness

**“Forgiveness”**

Everyone meets in a meeting room (the council chamber is under construction), Asher in charge of everything.

Asher, “Okay, David’s off in love-land, so it’s up to us to run the government for us for two weeks without turning Gilboa into a smoking crater.”

Reinhardt, “So are you king?”

Asher, “Uh, not really, but David did put me in charge.”

Reinhardt, “If we need David, we can still reach him, right?”

Asher, “He said to only call him if it’s an emergency, and by emergency, he means someone’s nuked Shiloh.”

Abby, “It’s kind of really important that he and Jack get to relax and have some time together.”

Shay, “He’s fuckin’ earned a break okay?”

Asher, “I’m still supposed to call him and brief him every couple of days, so that would be the time to talk to him.”

Reinhardt, “So what are we doing until David gets back?”

Asher, “Ideally, nothing. Everything that’s supposed to happen will happen, and nothing new will come in and fuck everything up.”

Rose speaks up, “Has there been any word from Warner or Gerald? They both thrive on being inconvenient.”

Abby, “If they try anything, we’ll deal with them without bothering David.”

Monique, “I do have one thing.”

Asher, “What?”

Monique, “The palace renovations are almost done, I think it would be a good idea to have some kind of public tour of the palace, preferably on TV. Rose, that would be your job. Didn’t you do something similar when Silas had the palace built?”

Rose, “I don’t believe I’m the right one to give a tour of the new palace.”

Monique, “Of course you aren’t. Jessie's gonna lead the group tours once they start. On TV, it'll be me and David. You need to set it up so we can do it as soon as David gets back.”

Rose, “Very well.”

Asher, “So, until something happens, that’s it.”

Reinhardt, “Good. And we should be able to get stuff done without David hanging around being a dumbass-”

Shay interrupts, “NO.”

Reinhardt, “Pardon?”

Shay, “You do not get to call David a dumbass. That right is earned.”

Reinhardt rolls his eyes, “Then I apologize-”

Shay goes on, “You do not get to call David a dumbass until you have saved his dumb ass!”

Reinhardt, “Very well-”

Shay, “You can call David a dumbass when you have tied a tourniquet on his dumb ass!”

Joel and Asher both stifle laughter.

Reinhardt, “I get your point!”

Shay, “You can call David a dumbass when you have carried his dumb ass through the woods on a stretcher!”

Reinhardt, “We all have work to be getting to!”

  * Asher sits in his office, reading some papers. There’s a knock at the door.



Asher looks up, “Come in.”

Betty, the girl who escaped from Nob with him, enters.

Asher’s face lights up, “Betty.”

Betty, “Hi, Rabbi.”

Asher, “Please, just call me Asher. What are you doing here?”

Betty, “Uh, I’m supposed to brief David every couple of weeks. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do this week, so I guessed I’d just come in and brief you.”

Asher, “I’ll send your reports in the briefs I send him.”

Betty, “Oh, god, don’t send him extra work on his honeymoon because of me. Besides, there’s not a whole lot to report.”

Asher, “What are you briefing him on?”

Betty, “Minority religious rights in Ammon. Basically, it’s my job to tell David if Warner’s arresting Jews and Muslims again.”

Asher, “Ooh, that’s hot-” he catches himself, “I, uh, I mean, that’s quite interesting.”

Betty laughs, “Yeah, I really enjoy it.”

Asher, “Doesn’t Warner also arrest Catholics?”

Betty, “Every once and a while a priest or a nun will say something in favor of human rights and it doesn’t go well, but Abbadon was the one who went after Catholics. Which is really weird considering that his wife was Catholic.”

Asher, “Well, we saw what became of her.” His phone buzzes, and he takes a look at it, “Oh, shit.”

  * Asher, followed by Betty, goes back into the meeting room, where Abby watches a TV, Rose beside her.



On the TV, Warner makes an announcement, “For fifteen years, King Silas Benjamin lied to the world. He said that Vesper Abbadon was killed in the conquest of Carmel, but that is not true. Abbadon is alive and well, and he has been held in the palace of Gilboa.”

Asher, “Why is he doing this now?”

Abby, “Because he’s an asshole.”

Rose, “Speculation has been running rampant about what it was that David was offering Warner at Council, he had to make an announcement some time.”

Abby, “Also, he’s an asshole.”

Rose, “I knew he’d try to do it while David is gone, so I had a statement drawn up last week. You don’t need to do anything, unless he wants to start negotiations.”

Asher, “You’d better get to making that statement.”

Abby, “Who’s gonna be the one to tell him?”

Asher, “I can’t do it, I’m Jewish.”

Abby, “I’m gay!”

Rose, “I have a statement to make.” She gets up and leaves.

Abby, “You’re the one who’s in charge, Asher.”

Asher, “But you’ve already talked to him!”

Abby, “And I don’t want to fucking do it again.”

Betty speaks up, “I’ll go with you, Asher.”

  * Asher and Betty stand in an elevator while Asher frets.



Betty, “Didn’t he have kids?”

Asher, “What?”

Betty, “I’m pretty sure Abbadon had kids. What ever happened to them?”

Asher, “Oh, god, I don’t know. I’ve heard a lot of conspiracy theories. Can you fucking imagine just trying to live your life knowing that you’re an Abbadon?”

The elevator opens and they get out. They go down into the dungeons, and then stop outside Vesper’s cell.

Asher, “You ready?”

Betty, “Go for it.”

Asher opens the door.

Vesper looks up, “Yes?”

Asher and Betty both stare awkwardly at him.

Asher, “Uh, Warner just announced that uh… you’re alive.”

Vesper, “Ah, yes, I was expecting that. Thank you for letting me know.” He continues his work.

Asher and Betty exchange curious looks. Asher looks at Vesper’s papers, and sees Hebrew written across them.

He steps forward, and picks up a paper, “You mis-translated this.”

Vesper glances up at him, “Oh? Do you know ancient Hebrew?”

Asher, “I’m a Rabbi. I fuckin’ dream in ancient Hebrew.” He looks at Vesper and says something filthy in Hebrew.

Vesper chortles heartily, “I usually don’t come across that kind of language in my work.”

Asher, “I’ll leave you to it, then.” He goes back to the door. Betty follows him, and they leave.

  * Back in the elevator, Betty says, “Well, that was creepy.”



Asher, “Yeah, no shit.”

Betty, “It’s so weird that he’s like… normal.”

Asher, “What did you expect?”

Betty, “I dunno, something more disturbing.”

The door dings open, and they get off.

Asher, “I’ve got to get back to work.”

Betty, “Yeah, me, too.”

Asher starts to leave, but Betty says, “Listen um, there’s this restaurant that just opened, their thing is super high-end kosher food. Would you want to have dinner there some night?”

Asher stares at her.

Betty, “Y’know, in case you want to have wagyu that’s been blessed by a rabbi.”

Asher, “That sounds great! I’d love to!”

Betty smiles, “Okay.”

  * Out in the lobby, as Asher leaves for the evening, a man has a heated argument with a security guard, “Why are you protecting him?! That sick fuck killed my family!”



Security guard, “We can’t just let people into the palace.”

Asher approaches, “Can I help with something here?”

Man, “I want to see Vesper Abbadon!”

Asher, “I’m afraid you can’t do that.”

Man, “I spent fifteen years believing that motherfucker has gotten what he deserved, and today I found out he’s been alive, being fed, with a roof over his head! I’m here to do what King Silas never could!”

Asher, “Well, unfortunately, we need Abbadon alive to be able to do something else Silas never could, and make peace with Ammon.”

Man, “So Warner can just hang him and he dies quickly? No fucking way. Not without pain!”

Security guard, “I’m sorry, sir, if you don’t leave, you’re going to be removed.”

Asher steps away, “I’m sorry, I can’t help you.”

Man, “Bullshit! I have fucking earned this!”

Asher turns around and leaves as security guards wrestle the man to the ground.

  * That evening, in his apartment, Asher calls David.



David, “Hey, what’s up?” The sound of laughing and playing in the background.

Asher, “Uh, just wanted to let you know, today-”

David interrupts him, “Can you hold on a sec?” a pause, and David yells away from the phone, “KNOCK IT OFF, will you?! I’m trying to get briefed!” The sound of Jack laughing.

Asher sighs impatiently.

David, “Okay what is it?”

Asher, “Warner announced that Abbadon’s still alive.”

David, “Okay, is there anything that I need to do?”

Asher, “Nah, we’ve got it handled, you go back to whatever it is you’re doing.”

David, “Thanks, man!”

Asher, “Okay, bye.” He ends the conversation.

There’s a knock at his door, and he answers it.

Betty stands there in a cute little dress, “Hi.”

Asher, astonished, “Wow, you look… wow!”

Betty, “Better than fatigues that haven’t been washed in months, huh?”

  * Asher and Betty have dinner in a nice restaurant.



Betty, “Yeah, my parents weren’t really thrilled about me joining the AFG. It wasn’t even the AFG at that point, just some vague resistance movement. Once David took over, they seemed to be impressed with it, though.”

Asher, “You have no idea how many times I’ve had to kick his ass into doing the right thing.”

Betty laughs, but then grows more serious, “It’s been hard, getting used to y’know, having such a thing as normal. I’ve been going to temple and observing shabbat, but I still can’t get rid of the feeling in my gut that I shouldn’t get comfortable, that I’m going to have to get up and leave again soon.”

Asher, “I know that feeling.”

Betty, “Have you been back to Nob?”

Asher, “What?”

Betty, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t ask.”

Asher, “No, no, that’s okay. And, no, I haven’t been.”

Betty, “I don’t understand how you can just work with Reinhardt every day.”

Asher, “The raid at Nob was done by the army, not the MSS.”

Betty, “The MSS had to tell the army where we were.”

Asher, “Honestly, I just try not to think about it. He had a job, and he did it.”

Betty, “The Nuremberg defense.”

Asher, “David trusts him, for whatever reason, and I trust David. I try not to think about it.”

Betty, “I went to visit my parents last week, and as I came home, out of nowhere, I got hit with this immense feeling of guilt. Like, why do I get to visit my parents when so many people out there don’t?”

Asher, “There is no answer to that.”

Betty, “Yeah, I know. Anyway, I’ve kind of been fixated on the subject of parents since then. I keep thinking about Abbadon’s kids. How are they reacting to all this? Do they even know that he’s their father? And if they don’t, are they better off not knowing?”

Asher, “Those are all excellent questions.”

Betty, “What if they want to see him again?”

Asher, “He murdered their mother.”

Betty, “Love and loyalty are weird things. They defy all logic. It just doesn’t seem fair to me to just hand him off to Ammon without giving them at least the chance to make some sort of peace.”

  * Asher goes into Vesper’s cell and sits down.



Vesper, “Can I help you, Rabbi?”

Asher, “You killed your wife.”

Vesper, “Yes.”

Asher, “Why?”

Vesper, “That’s a question best left to scholars-”

Asher interrupts, “That’s bullshit, you had a motive, what is it?”

Vesper stares at him, and then says, “I was doing God’s work. Gilboan forces were at the doors of our compound. Esperanza wanted to surrender, but I would surrender only to God. The children’s souls were pure and innocent. I knew God would let them into His kingdom. Esperanza stood in front of the door.”

Asher, “Jesus fucking christ, you are sick!”

Vesper, “You asked.”

Asher, “What happened to them?”

Vesper, “I don’t know. Silas never told me.”

Asher, “How old were they?”

Vesper, “My oldest, Mercy, was eleven. The youngest, Gabriel, was just a baby.”

Asher, “What would you say to them, if you saw them again?”

Vesper, “That I was wrong, and I don’t deserve their forgiveness.”

  * Asher approaches Thomasina’s desk, “What happened to Vesper Abbadon’s children?”



Thomasina, “Why do you want to know?”

Asher, “Because I just fucking do.”

Thomasina, “I’m not at liberty to tell you.”

Asher, “I will call David right now and tell him to order you to tell me. I know you don’t want to interrupt his honeymoon.”

Thomasina gives him a dirty look, and then says, “They were given new identities and adopted into Gilboan families.”

Asher, “Where are they now?”

Thomasina, “I don’t know.”

Asher, “That’s bullshit, Silas kept every string he could pull.”

Thomasina, “Why do you want to know, anyway? It’s no business of yours.”

Asher, “Because I just do! If I had one last chance to speak to my parents…” he drifts off. He exchanges looks with Thomasina, “Just tell me where they are, okay?”

  * Asher takes Betty into a coffee shop.



Betty, “Okay, seriously, why are we going all the way across town just to get coffee?”

Asher, “They have something here that I think you’ll be interested in.”

They step inside. Asher pulls a photograph out of his jacket pocket: The Abbadons, Vesper, Esperanza, and five children, smiling and happy. Asher looks from the photograph to the barista, a beautiful young woman with dark hair. They go up to her.

Barista, “What can I get for you today?”

Asher looks her over nervously, and then quietly says, “Are you Mercy Abbadon?”

  * Mercy (dream cast: Melissa Barrera) sits with Asher and Betty at a quiet table.



She eyes them with harsh suspicion, “King Silas used to visit me every once and a while. He told me to keep quiet and refused to tell me anything about my brothers and sisters. Is this more of the same?”

Asher, “No.”

Mercy, “What the fuck do you want, then?”

Asher, “I know where your siblings are.” He hands her the photograph.

A sob escapes from Mercy’s mouth, and she covers her mouth with her hand, as if to push it back in.

Asher, “Your father is in custody at the palace. I want to give you and your siblings the chance to see him one last time.”

Mercy, “I held my baby brother in my arms and tried to stop his crying while I listened to my father murder my mother. I was eleven.”

Asher, “Would you like to see your brother again?”

Mercy, quietly, “Does he even know who I am?”

Asher, “He was given a new identity, just like you. He’s lived his whole life with that identity. I don’t know if he knows the truth.”

Mercy, “He’s lucky, then. I’ve had so many times when I wished I could just zap the memories of my parents straight out of my head. It’s a godawful burden, a name like Abbadon.”

Asher, “Then we’ll leave your siblings alone.”

Mercy, “I didn’t say I don’t want to see them.”

  * Asher sits in his office.



Abby enters, “What the fuck are you doing, looking for Abbadon’s children?”

Asher, “Did Thomasina snitch on me?”

Abby goes over and puts her hands on his desk, “You don’t know what kind of shit you’re stirring up.”

Asher, “I’m not forcing anyone to do anything.”

Abby, “What exactly are you doing?”

Asher, “I want to give his children the chance to forgive him.”

Abby, “Forgive him?!”

Asher, “He’s repentant! He knows he was wrong!”

Abby, “I’m sorry isn’t going to un-murder their mother!”

Asher, “They deserve to know, and to see each other again.”

Abby, “Is this some kind of weird bullshit about your parents?”

Asher, “And what if it is?”

Abby, dismayed, “Oh my god, Asher!”

Asher, “What? I’ve already talked to Mercy.”

Abby, “What?!”

Asher, “She wants to see her siblings. She at least deserves that.”

Abby, “Okay, but I’m gonna be there to try to salvage shit when it all goes south.”

Asher, “You should probably have Michelle there, too.”

Abby, “Why?”

Asher, “Someone has to apologize on behalf of Silas.”

  * Gabriel Abbadon, (Jake Hearn), 15, walks into the lobby of the palace with his parents, Vince and Jackie. They look around in amazement at the work that’s being done, and approach the front desk.



Jackie, “We’re here for the adoptee event today.”

The receptionist, “Certainly, just a second. What’s your name?”

Jackie, “We’re the Hearns.”

The receptionist picks up a phone and presses a number, “The Hearns are here.”

Vince whispers to Gabriel, “Pretty cool, huh?”

Gabriel, “Yeah.”

The receptionist speaks up, “Right this way.”

  * The Hearns are led into a room where Asher waits for them.



Asher steps up, “Hi, You must be Jake Hearn. I’m Rabbi Asher Levinson.”

Gabriel goes up to him and shakes his hand, “You’re the one who administered the oath for King David, right?”

Asher, “Yeah, that’s me.”

Gabriel, “Cool!”

Asher, “Please, have a seat.”

The Hearns sit down, and Asher sits across from them.

Gabriel, “What am I here for?”

Jackie, “We were told it had something to do with adoption.”

Asher, “Yes, it is. Do you know anything about Jake’s birth family?”

Jackie and Vince look at each other nervously, “No.”

Asher, “I brought Jake here today because he was identified as a member of a family that was broken up. He has siblings, who are also here, today.”

Gabriel, “I do?”

Asher, “Yes, and you can meet them if you like.”

Gabriel, uneasy, “Oh, wow, I- I really dunno what to say.”

Asher, “Before you were adopted by the Hearns, your name was Gabriel. Gabriel Abbadon.”

Vince, “Abbadon?”

Asher, “Yes. Jake’s birth parents are Vesper and Esperanza Abbadon.”

Jackie, “That’s not possible, the adoption agency would have told us-”

Asher interrupts, “The adoption agency was told to lie and keep quiet.” He pulls a photograph out of his pocket, “I have a photograph. Would you like to see?”

Jake nods numbly, and Asher hands him the photo. Jackie takes on look at it, gasps dramatically, and turns away.

Vince, “I’m sorry, but this just can’t be true. I fought in Carmel, I saw first-hand was Abbadon did. Jake’s a good kid! He’s nice! He has friends! He volunteers at the animal shelter! He’s not a monster like Abbadon!”

Jackie whispers, “Vince, look at the picture. That’s him. You know it is.”

She hugs Gabriel, “This doesn’t change anything. We still love you so much. You’re our son, and you’re a good person, Jake.”

Gabriel, numbly, “I love you, too.”

  * In another room, Mercy sits. The door opens, and Abby, Betty, and Michelle lead in Elías, 23, Isolda, 21, and Amada, 18.



Elías stares at Mercy, and tears well in his eyes, “Mercy?”

Mercy rushes up to him, and hugs him tightly, “ _Te he extrañado. Te he extrañado mucho_.”

Elías, “Mercy!”

Isolda turns to Abby, “I had two brothers. Where’s the other one?”

Abby, “He’s coming.”

Mercy goes over to Isobel and Amada, “My name is Mercy. Do you remember me?”

Isolda, “A little bit.”

Amada, “I just remember that my name was Amada.”

The door opens once again, and Asher leads in Gabriel. He stares at his siblings, still numb with shock. Asher looks at Michelle, who steps forward.

Michelle, “First of all, I’d like to apologize on behalf of my father for breaking you all up and keeping you in the dark for so long. I know what it’s like to be denied a sibling. I know that no words can undo the years you’ve missed together. But hopefully you can start something today.”

Abby, “If you want to, you can go and see your father. He’s here in the palace, but I don’t know for how much longer. I expect a deal will be made with King Warner once King David returns from his honeymoon.”

Elías looks at Mercy, “Do you want to see him?”

Mercy, “I don’t know.”

Abby, “That’s okay. You can take some time to make up your mind. In the meantime, I’m not sure what names I should refer to you all as. You’re free to identify yourselves however you want when you leave the palace. We’ll provide you with any forms and documents you need to make it legal. Do you prefer your adoptive name, or your birth name?”

Mercy, “I think, while I’m here, I’ll be Mercy.”

Elías, “Elías.” Isolda and Amada look at each other, and smile.

“Isolda.”

“Amada.”

Asher looks at Gabriel, “Do you have a preference?”

Gabriel looks at him, and snaps out of his trance, “What the FUCK! I thought I was just a war orphan!”

Asher, “Do you need a moment?”

Gabriel looks around for a moment, and then bolts out the door. Asher tries to follow him.

Out in the hallway, Gabriel turns and yells, “Leave me the fuck alone!”

Asher stops. Gabriel reaches the end of the hallway, turns around in dismay, leans against the wall, and slowly sinks to the ground. Mercy, followed by everyone else, comes up behind Asher.

Abby steps forward nervously, “Do you need anything?”

Gabriel looks at her, dismayed. Slowly, Mercy approaches him, and then sits down beside him. She puts her hand over his. He looks at her, and sees that they share the same features. Elías, Isolda, and Amada go over and join them. They sit together in silence.

  * Asher leads the Abbadons down the dungeon hallway. Mercy holds Gabriel’s hand tightly. They stop outside of Vesper’s cell.



Asher, “Are you ready?” Mercy nods.

Asher goes in to see Vesper, “Your children are here.”

Vesper looks up in astonishment, “My children?”

Asher nods, “Do you want to see them?”

Vesper’s eyes fill with tears, “Please.”

He stands, and his children file into his cell. Michelle, Abby, and Betty stand behind them, watching. He gasps and looks at them in awe.

Mercy, “Hi, Dad.”

Vesper lowers himself to his knees, “ _Mis hijos, Mis hijos… Lo ciento mucho. Lo ciento tan profundamente. No merezco tu perdón. No merezco el perdón de nadie_.”

Amada looks confused, “I don’t really know Spanish…”

Mercy wipes away a tear, “He says he’s sorry, and he doesn’t deserve forgiveness.” She looks Vesper in the eye, “God says to forgive."

Asher, “You don’t have to forgive.” Everyone looks at him.

He goes on, “Forgiveness isn’t just a favor that you give out. It’s hard. It hurts. People spend their entire live struggling to forgive, and they can’t. Sometimes, it’s just impossible. The mouth says I forgive while the heart stays angry. That’s what destroys the soul. Don’t forgive because it’s asked of, or expected of you. Forgive because you’ve struggled with it. Forgive because you want to.”

Michelle holds on to Abby’s hand.

Mercy, “I need time.”

  * In Jack and David’s apartment, David serves up dinner for Abby and Michelle while Jack looks on, beaming.



David, “It was nothing but non-stop hedonism. We were taking NAPS all over the place. Absolutely unthinkable levels of depravity. We spent a whole day watching a Chopped marathon! We went on picnics, and there was this fantastic lake, we did a lot of swimming!”

Jack, “Skinny dipping.”

David, “And we went out on a boat and I caught us some fish and fried ‘em for dinner that night.”

Jack, “Providing."

Michelle, “Such decadence.”

Jack, “It was great!”

David, “I swear, as soon as we got there, Jack’s speech started getting better. He was telling me stories the whole time. Stories!”

Jack, “Easier, just you.”

Abby, “Well, tomorrow, we get to negotiate handing Abbadon over to Warner. So that’ll be fun.”

David, “Oh, come on, don’t talk about work now.”

Abby, “Asher found his kids. Brought them to the palace.”

David, “Seriously? How did that go?”

Abby shrugs, “Okay, I guess. It’s hard to tell if that sort of thing is good or bad. How’d you feel if you got invited to the palace only to be told that you’re the child of a mass-murderer?”

Michelle, “I have to give it to Asher, though, he handled it pretty well.”

Abby, “Yeah, he did.”

David, “So does that mean we can just hand him over?”

Abby, “Not unless Warner gives us something in return.”

David, “Okay. I kinda hate to do it. Vesper, he- he’s unusual.”

Abby, “We have to make peace with Ammon.”

David, “Yeah, I know. And we will.”

Cut to: David sees Abby and Michelle off, “You two have a good night, okay?”

Michelle pauses and looks at him, “David.”

David, “Yeah?”

Michelle hesitates a moment, and then says, “I forgive you.”

David, “What? Why?”

Michelle, “Because I just fucking do, okay?”

David, “Okay. Thanks.”

Michelle, “Good night, David.”

David, “Good night.” He shuts the door.

  * In the treaty room, Abby stands next to David, Warner and his diplomat across from them.



Abby, “We will agree to let you keep a small portion of Carmel, the same portion as was agreed to when we first arrived in Ammon. In exchange for the return of Gilboan territory, we will hand over Vesper Abbadon.”

Diplomat, “We agreed to peace, not an exchange of territory.”

Abby, “Then Abbadon will remain in Gilboan custody. This isn’t up for debate.”

Warner looks at Abby and David and shakes his head, “God does favor you, David. How else could such an enormous advantage just fall into your lap without you even knowing about it?”

David, “That was Silas, not God. Are you going to agree to our offer, or not?”

Warner gives him a scrutinizing look, and then says, “I’ll sign your treaty. Vesper will be brought back to Ammon and hanged before sundown tomorrow.”

David, “Very well, then.”

  * [(“Shadow” Celia Pavey)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGmMz2Klqsk) In his cell, Vesper goes down the line of his children, hugging them and kissing their cheeks in turn. Gabriel stands stoically and accepts his embrace without emotion. Vesper comes to Mercy last.



Vesper, “Do you forgive me?”

Mercy, “Not yet, but I’m working on it.”

Vesper’s eyes fill with tears, and he hugs her. She hugs him back.

Out in the hallway, David, Abby, and Asher stand waiting, Warner and a group of Ammonian soldiers beside them. Vesper steps out of his cell, and the soldiers put him in handcuffs.

Warner takes in a deep victorious breath, puffing up his chest, “May God have mercy on your soul, Vesper.”

Vesper, “May God have mercy on yours,” he turns to David, “I thank you for your hospitality, King David,” he looks at Asher, “I thank you for your gift, Rabbi Levinson,” he turns back to Warner, “let’s go, then.” The soldiers lead him away.

The Abbadon children exit the cell, and watch Vesper be taken down the hallway.

Outside the palace, furious crowds gather, waving signs, chanting furiously, demanding to see the monster Abbadon. David pushes the front doors open, and Warner and Vesper exit behind him. Vesper blinks in the sunlight, the soldiers still holding tightly to his manacles.

The crowd roars for vengeance. Warner walks towards the crowd, a number of security guys in front of him. They begin making their way through the path that’s been cleared for them. The soldiers escort Vesper as he follows behind Warner. Bottles and rocks fly at him. The man who was there earlier demanding to see him spits at him. Still, Vesper carries his head high, with dignity.

Warner stands by the open back of a police van, and gestures for Vesper to get in. Vesper follows. He looks back out into the crowd one last time, and sees David, still looking out at him. The doors shut, and the van drives away. In the palace, The Abbadon siblings hold on to each other, determined to stay strong.

  * A tombstone: Leo and Nora Levinson. Asher and Betty each lay a stone at its base. Asher weeps and recites the Kaddish. When he’s done, they both lay stones on the graves. They walk away, still holding hands.




	55. S6 E6: Faking It

**“Faking It”**

Andrew gets led through the hallways of the palace, holding a bottle of wine. He glances around, “I see renovations are nearly done.”

The aide leading him ignores his comment and opens a door, “King David is waiting for you inside.”

Andrew goes into the dining room, and sees David standing there, waiting for him. Andrew, “Your Majesty. Thank you so much for inviting me tonight.”

David warily, “Just call me David,” he gestures over to a seat, “And please, sit.”

David sits down, and Andrew hands the bottle of wine to a waiter. To David, he says, “I brought a bottle of wine for just to enjoy with dinner tonight. It’s a lively grenache from a small winery on the Carmel coast.”

David, “Yeah, sounds great, serve it up.” As they go on with their conversation, the waiter uncorks the bottle and serves the wine.

Andrew, “And what’s being served tonight?”

David, “Grilled Pacific octopus.”

Andrew, “Superb.”

David gestures to the waiters, “Can you start serving us?” The waiters nod and get to work.

Andrew, “I have to say I’m surprised that you would invite me here for dinner.”

David, “Think of this as a peace offering.”

Andrew raises an eyebrow.

David, “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said to me at the wedding reception. Ultimately, I think you’re right. We both have a common interest in seeing the truth get told.”

Andrew smiles, “Well, I’m delighted we can see eye-to eye on this.”

David, “There’s still a few things I want you to understand.”

Andrew, “Oh?”

David, “When the sex tape got leaked, yeah, it was embarrassing. But that was just a small part of it. When it came out that Jack and I were a couple, it put the AFG in danger, and we had to leave Ammon.”

Andrew, “Yes, I’m well aware, and I know what you’re getting at. You don’t want me publishing state secrets, and that’s all fine. I have no interest in publishing classified military intelligence. My Uncle Silas kept so many secrets, and look what it did to our nation. What secrets are you keeping, David?”

David laughs nervously, “I don’t have any secrets.”

Andrew, “You’d be surprised.”

David stares at Andrew awkwardly as waiters serve the food.

Andrew smiles at his server, “Thank you so much,” he looks down at the food, “This looks incredible,” he begins to eat, “Mmmm. Absolutely unbelievable.”

David quietly eats his food.

Andrew, “I got dragged to so many awkward palace family dinners growing up. I would tolerate the awkward conversation and annoying cousins because the food was always so delicious. I am absolutely thrilled to see that in this regard, nothing has changed.”

David, “Yeah, no kidding. The food goes a long way to making this whole king business easier.”

Andrew, “I’ve heard you’re something of a foodie. It’s said that the quickest way to gain your favor is with some new exotic dish you haven’t tried.”

David, “If you’re implying that I can be bribed with food, I can’t.”

Andrew, “I’m not implying anything. I’ve just repeating what’s been observed.”

David sighs and nods, “Can I ask you kind of a blunt question?”

Andrew, “Yes?”

David, “Do you want to be king?”

Andrew stares at him for a moment, bemused, and then laughs and says, “Oh, no. I absolutely do not envy your job. Why on earth would I want to be king?”

David, “Rose told me about your dad.”

Andrew, “Aunt Rose and my father never got past petty sibling rivalry. She and Uncle Silas conspired to get the crown for themselves because they had to prove that they were above my father and grandfather. This is what the crown does, it perverts normal family relationships, even in families that are not royal. I never want to be king.”

David, “So what do you want, then?”

Andrew, “What? What is there for me to want?”

David, “That's what I’m trying to figure out. Because I'm having a very hard time believing that you actually care about Gilboa.” He sighs, “I’ll make a deal with you.”

Andrew, “Yes?”

David, “You can publish whatever you want about me, but, stay away from Jack.”

Andrew raises his eyebrow in surprise.

David, “Look, I don’t care what people say about me. I mean, I’m the king, of course I’m gonna get talked about and criticized and made fun of. I welcome it. But right now Jack is going through a recovery that’s difficult enough without constant coverage over every little frustration and setback.”

Andrew, “Are you talking about when we reported on his seizures and headaches?”

David, “Yeah.”

Andrew smirks, “I heard you were upset over that. You really shouldn’t be upset over it, we only reported facts.”

David, “I watched him get shot.”

Andrew, “Yes, I’m familiar with this story.”

David, “I can’t tell you what kind of hell it is to be completely helpless knowing that the person you love is hurt and needs you, and you can’t be there.”

Andrew, “Jack is a public figure.”

David, “Please. At least for as long as he’s recovering. After that, you can report all you want on him, but for now…. please.”

Andrew grins with smug satisfaction, “You know, it’s really quite gratifying to see a king beg. I suppose if I refuse, you’re going to threaten me, imply that I’m somehow colluding with Gath.”

David, “I’m not. I’m asking you sincerely.”

Andrew, “And I can see how very sincere you are,” he takes a bit of food and smiles, “Very well. I won’t publish anything about Jack’s recovery.”

David, “Thank you.”

David, “Are we in agreement, then?”

Andrew thinks for a moment, “I suppose we are.”

David, “Good.”

Andrew smiles brilliantly, “I’m glad we could come to this understanding. Perhaps, with a little luck, we can build a better relationship going into the future.”

David, “I hope we can so that.”

Andrew, “And believe me, I do understand, you and Jack have been through some truly unbelievable things together. It’s only natural that you’re very protective of him.”

David, “I couldn’t be king without him. He’s the one thing keeping me sane in all this. I- I know it’s probably stupid of me trying to appeal to your humanity like this.”

Andrew smiles, “You know, I’m not the villain you must think I am. I don’t want to end up like my father, lost in petty grievances. I want to be a man my daughter can be proud of, even if I am in a rather unsavory business.”

David, “You must be proud of her.”

Andrew, “Oh, yes. You know, for as angry as I initially was when Jack took CrossGen from me, now I’m almost glad to be relieved of it. The shackles of three hundred years of familial expectations have been taken off of me. I can be my own man.”

  * David sits in the council chamber with Reinhardt, Abby, and Shay.



Shay, “We’re taking a number of troops off of the Ammon border, and I need to know what to do with them.”

Reinhardt, “We’re sending them to the Gath front, obviously.”

David, “I’m a little hesitant about that. Is Shaw gonna see that as some sort of escalation?”

Reinhardt, “We can’t operate out of fear of angering Shaw.”

David, “Yeah, I know, it’s just, he’s gonna react to this, so we need to do it carefully.”

Shay, “With the forces re-distributed along the front, we have enough to fight back if he decides to attack us.”

David, “The goal is to get him to not attack us.”

Abby, “That’s what I’m here for.”

Reinhardt, “Gath’s army is still hurting from the failure of the CrossGen contract. They were counting on continued manufacturing, and they’re scrambling to make up the gap with what little resources they have.”

David, “That’s good to know.”

Reinhardt goes on, “Also, Gath isn’t immune from the David effect.”

David raises his eyebrows in curiosity.

Reinhardt, “Our sources are reporting a sharp increase in talk of a resistance to Premier Shaw. The people want and end to the war, too, and they want their rights.”

Rose enters, “I have something you need to address!”

David, “I’m kind of busy.”

Rose, “It needs to be addressed now.” She pulls out her phone and presses a button.

A recording of David’s voice, “ _That doesn’t sound like the fucking woods to you?!_ ”

Rose, “It was posted on OMGossip. What is it?”

David, sighing with annoyance, “It’s me having a panic attack in the apartment in Ashdod. I fucking knew that place was bugged.”

Abby, “We were all careful about everything we said. There was a big thunderstorm one night and it triggered David’s PTSD.”

Rose, “You shouldn’t worry about this, then. You’ve been frank about your mental health and you’re receiving treatment now.”

Reinhardt, “We need to be worried. Surveillance recordings like this are all highly classified. How the fuck did OMGossip get this without help directly from Gath?”

David, “Jack thinks the sex tape came from William Cross. We know he was in contact with Shaw, and Shaw probably gave it to him. Cross probably had this and Andrew got it when he died.”

Reinhardt, “We can’t rely on that, we still need to investigate.”

David, “Andrew is trying to rattle me. I had dinner with him the other night and I struck a deal that he can publish whatever he wants about me, as long as he leaves Jack alone. Of course he’s gonna test that right away. If we make a big deal about it, he’s gonna immediately play the victim and make a big story about how I’m suppressing the free press.”

Abby, “I can make a diplomatic inquiry. Send a message to Gath, at least.”

David, “If all they have is recordings of us, then you and I know this is the absolute worst that they have. The best thing we can do right now is to show that we’re not afraid.”

Joel, “David’s right. If we’re gonna nail that little bastard, it should be for a real, provable crime.”

Rose sighs deeply.

David looks at her, “What?”

Rose, “Andrew’s trying to prove something, and I don’t know what it is, yet. He’s smarter than William. He’s not going to go around buddying up to terrorists.”

David, “I’m not afraid of him! He’s trying to prove that he’s powerful and influential, and that’s fine! I’m still the king!” He thinks for a moment and sighs, “Look, I've got other things to deal with today, so let’s just leave it here, okay?”

Everyone says, “Okay.” David gets up and leaves.

  * David walks through the nearly-finished palace lobby. Whereas before it was cold and intimidating, the new vibe is warmer and more comfortable, with plants, art, and sunlight.



He goes into the ballroom, which is now spectacularly decorated with a blue celestial motif. Monique is standing in the middle, under a sparkling new chandelier, looking around.

David approaches her, “Hey, so what’s up?”

Monique, “The Palace is gonna be officially re-opened soon. We need to make some decisions about how we’re gonna do it.”

David, “I dunno, I suck at this shit. What are you thinking?”

Monique, “We’ve got a story to tell. We need to tell it the right way.”

David, “I answered all the questions at Council, and I talked to _Elite_ , what more good will digging around in the past do?”

Monique, “You answered questions and talked about the future. The AFG hasn’t had its story coherently told from start to finish. Not yet.”

David, “So what do you want to do?”

Monique, “I had the idea of creating an exhibition of photos and objects that tell the story.”

David, “Like a museum?”

Monique, “It’s history.”

David, “What do we even have? It’s not like we were able to keep souvenirs.”

Monique, “We don’t need much, we just have to tell the story.”

David, “I dunno. Jack has a lot of pictures on his phone, but they’re like mostly pictures of me taking my shirt off.”

Monique, jokingly, “See, we’ve already got ways of getting people interested.”

David rolls his eyes, “I’m just not sure I see the point.”

Monique, “We have to tell the story before someone else does. We’ve got a rare opportunity and we need to take advantage of it.”

David, “So what are we gonna say? That the war was awesome and we all had a party?”

Monique, “You do want you people to think of you as a brave and inspiring leader, right?”

David, “Yeah, I guess.”

Monique, “You guess?”

David, “I just don’t want this to end up being like that movie they made about Silas.”

Monique, “It’s not often that you get to control how your personal life gets displayed. What do you want people to know?”

David sighs, “I dunno. I need to think about it.”

Monique, “I think the starting place is pretty obvious: the picture of you blowing up the tank, and then the picture of you stopping the attack in Damascus.”

David, “I hate that picture.”

Monique, “It’s kind of iconic.”

David, “What happened in Damascus was fucking horrible, why would I want to prop it up as something worth celebrating?”

Monique, “Because it’s not about you, it’s about how people see you.”

David, “What am I supposed to say about it, anyway? That I shot at someone and I was fucking lucky that it was a terrorist and not a civilian?”

Monique, “David, I watched you do the damn thing, you knew it was a terrorist. Why are you so uncomfortable with your own achievements?”

David, “It doesn’t feel right to call it an achievement when people died.”

Monique, “Did Alek Amal lay eggs in your brain? Because that’s all I’m hearing right now.”

David, “It’s just fucking weird for people to take all the worst moments of my life and go, oh, look, what a great guy, what a hero. I've got this huge fucking gang bang of events coming up in the next few weeks: the re-opening, Charter Day, fucking Wayne Judd is getting married, and then there Judgement Day, which I'm still totally unprepared for! I don't know how I'm gonna get through all of it.”

Monique, “Okay, this is officially a job for your therapist, not me. Can you just trust that I’m trying to right by you?”

David, “I do trust you,” he sighs, “I’m just getting caught up in my own bullshit is all. There’s just something de-humanizing about having an _image_.”

Monique, “Aren’t you glad to be at a point in your life where existential bullshit is your biggest problem?”

  * David and Jack sit looking at pictures on a tablet. David teasingly plays with Jack’s hair, and Jack tries to brush his hand away.



David smiles adoringly down at him, “Do you think you’d be willing to show up at this re-opening thing?”

Jack makes a face, “I can’t talk.”

David, “You talk fine.”

Jack makes a face and points to the scar on his forehead, “People see… all people see. Care about. Scar. Can’t talk. One giant brain injury.”

David, “Just a few months ago you could only say a handful of words. I was just thinking it’d be a good chance to show how far you’ve come.”

Jack, “No. You don’t…” he struggles to think of the right words, but can’t think of any, “You’re the hero.”

David, “What’s that got to do with anything?”

Jack, “T-talking is hard.”

  * David, dressed up in a tux, stands in the ball room. Along the walls are objects and images related to the AFG. David walks along and looks at them. He lingers over the image of Isaiah diffusing a bomb in the Western mall, and gazes forlornly at the jacket embroidered CLEMENS. He goes on, and stops in front of a larger-than-life image of him shooting the Amalekite in Damascus. He stands, literally dwarfed by his image.



Rose approaches him in a chic black gown, “Where is Jack?”

David, “He’s upstairs. He doesn’t want to come.”

Rose, “He needs to be here.”

David, “He doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to.”

Rose makes a face of disapproval, “He’s always looking for an excuse to get out of these things. He’ll never show up, if you let him.”

David, “If you can get him out of his sweatpants and into a tux, you can drag him down here, but the deal I made with him is he doesn’t have to do anything until he’s ready, and tonight, he’s not ready.”

Rose, “You spoil him.”

David, “Yeah, well, I’ve kind of earned the right to do that.”

They both go quiet and stare up at the picture for a moment.

David, “Why didn’t Silas come to Council at Damascus?”

Rose, “He got a message from God telling him not to go.”

David, “Seriously?”

Rose, “To be perfectly honest… I think he was afraid of facing off against you. He knew that no matter what stunt he pulled, you’d out-shine him. And look at that, you did.”

  * David and Jessie stand behind the grand doors of the ballroom, arm-in-arm. Jessie beams up at David while he tries not to fret.



Jessie, “This is so exciting!”

David, “I’m glad you’re excited, Mom.”

Jessie looks at him, “What? Are you nervous?”

David, “A little.”

Jessie, “You’ve been to these events before!”

David, “Not as king, though. I have no idea how to talk to all these rich people. Everyone in there wants something from me.”

Jessie, “They just want to be dazzled, you’re good at that!”

David, “Only when there’s something I can blow up.”

On the other side of the door, the muffled voice of an announcer, “Announcing His Royal Majesty, King David Shepherd of Gilboa.”

Jessie laughs, “I still can’t get over hearing that!”

The doors swing open, and David leads Jessie forward. He looks down the staircase and sees the ballroom crowded with joyfully applauding guests. He sees Rose and Michelle at the foot of the stairs, applauding for him. The AFG fam is scattered around the crowd, as are James, Ethan, Sean, and his family. Christine is there. Reinhardt smirks up at him, Lydia looking gorgeous at his side. Liam has a hot date, and Adam stands awkwardly away from them. Finally, Andrew applauds coldly while Chloe beams at David.

Jessie leans into David, “See, they love you!”

David forces a wide smile and descends the stairs.

Michelle comes over and greets him with a hug.

David mutters into her ear, “Oh my God. Help me.”

Michelle, “Be polite, flatter their egos, and make them think that donating to your favorite charities will gain influence with you.”

David, sarcastic, “That sounds really fucking easy. I don’t even know who these people are, but I already know they don’t like being not recognized.”

Michelle, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

  * ([“Pussy Got Ya Hooked” Three 6 Mafia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp86bl0FfDk)) David stands sandwiched between Rose and Michelle. An older man and a beautiful young woman approach.



Rose, “This is Eric and Laci Busch. Eric is the CEO of a large manufacturing firm.”

Michelle leans in and whispers, “Wife, not daughter.”

David smiles politely and extends his hand, “It’s very nice to meet you.”

Eric, “Oh, it’s thrilling to meet you, your majesty. Used to be I had no problem getting the ear of the king, but since you’ve taken over, I’ve had a much harder time. I believe we can make some very good business deal in the future.”

David, “I look forward to speaking with you then.”

Eric, “You know, Laci is quite an admirer of yours. She’s been charmed by your charisma for some time.”

David, staying humble, “I hear that a lot.”

Laci leans in and whispers in his ear, “I will suck your dick so well you’ll make me a duchess.”

  * Elsewhere, David talks to Michelle alone, as she points to various people in the room, “Racist, pedophile, poop fetish.”



David, “Oh my god, I have to talk to somebody.”

Michelle, “I know, I’m trying to find someone who’s not horrible.”

David, “What about him?”

Michelle, “He fucking hates Jack because he slept with his daughter and didn’t get her pregnant.”

David, “Jesus, what about him?”

Michelle, “Murdered his third wife and got away with it.”

o David talks to a rich man’s trophy twink.

Twink, “You’re even more handsome up close,” in a low, breathy voice, “Jack is a lucky boy.” He puts a hand on David’s chest, and David steps away, laughing nervously.

o The comedian who plays David on _Late Night_ poses with the real David.

o David stands next to a group of people looking at the photo of everyone on the palace balcony after the coup.

A man in the group, “What are you thinking in this picture?”

David, “I’m mostly trying not to barf.”

o David talks to an old man.

Old man, “You should just bomb the shit out of Ashdod. Make those Phil motherfuckers weep, all of ‘em, men women and children.”

David, “That would kind of be a war crime.”

Old man, “Who gives a shit?”

o David talks to a woman.

Woman, “I’m not going to waste your time with any bullshit, how large of a check do I have to write to get the council to rethink their tariff policy?”

David, “I don’t accept bribes, and anyone within my administration found taking bribes will be charged with a very serious crime.”

Woman, “It’s not a bribe. It’s a gift. How much?”

Reinhardt sweeps over and gently interrupts, “Pardon me, but might I speak to His Majesty for a moment?” He leads David away, grabs a glass of champagne from a tray, and shoves it into David’s hand, “Buck up there, tiger. The night is still young.”

David drinks some champagne, “Yeah, I realize that.”

Reinhardt, “Jack should be here.”

David, “I’m not pressuring him-”

Reinhardt interrupts, “You _need_ Jack to be here,” He nods towards Lydia, “Look at that.”

She looks radiantly beautiful in a sexy red dress, laughing and dazzling the people around her.

Reinhardt, "You think a douchebag like me can get people to like him just by being himself? Fuck no. Lydia's a fucking goddess. People like me because they like _her_. I could have snagged some big titty bimbo no problem, and I'd look just like every other middle-aged asshole here.”

David, annoyed, “What does this have to-”

Reinhardt interrupts again, “Lydia doesn’t need me. Not one bit. She’s hot, she's smart, and she’s rich on her own. She could have a lineup of men, and she chose _me_. Look at the men she’s talking to.”

Lydia chats radiantly with a group of older men and their young trophy spouses (including the twink David was talking to earlier).

Reinhardt, “They’re all afraid of a partner who equals them. They all have to be the guy in charge. They can’t stand being challenged. They’re all cowards and they know it. Come at them with a spouse who knows better than you, they’re all shitting their pants. They will listen to you.”

David, "Are you giving me advice?"

Reinhardt, “You want to be a good king, don't you?

  * Elsewhere, Andrew approaches Adam, “Not surprised to see you again.”



Adam, uncomfortable, "Good evening.”

Andrew, "Are you here by yourself?"

Adam, "Liam got me a date. I don't know where she went."

Andrew, “Oh, come on, you can have your choice of women. You deserve better." He glances over to where David chats with Reinhardt, "I see our king has made good friends with Caesar Reinhardt.”

Adam, “Yeah, he's minister of defense. I get a lot of briefings from him.”

Andrew, sneakily, “You know, I really shouldn't tell you this."

Adam, "Tell me what?"

Andrew, “OMGossip is investigating him.”

Adam, “I- I know he was head of the MSS."

Andrew, "Well, I suppose you do owe a lot to him. He ordered the raid at Nob.”

Adam, “How do you know?”

Andrew, “I have my sources.” He leans in close to Adam, “I think you know as well as I do that King David isn’t the reformer he claims to be. How free can Gilboa be when people like Caesar Reinhardt are not only still in charge, but in good standing with the king?”

Adam stares at David and Reinhardt.

Andrew, “There’s one other thing I simply can’t stop thinking about.”

Adam, “What?”

Andrew, “The girl, the one who sat next to you at Council.”

Adam, “What about her?”

Andrew, “Her reaction was far more emotional than everyone else around her. No one else stormed out like that. Who was she?”

Adam doesn’t say anything.

Andrew, “I saw you talking to her. You must know her name.”

Adam, “It’s nothing. She- she lost someone. She was upset because of that.”

Andrew sneers condescendingly “Still loyal, I see.”

  * Back with David and Reinhardt, David's phone buzzes. He takes it out of his pocket and looks at it.



On the screen, a text: “from JACK: need you.”

Reinhardt, “What is it?”

David put his phone back in his pocket, “Nothing you need to know about. I have to tend to something.”

  * David goes into the residence, where Jack sits comfortably on the sofa.



David, “What’s wrong?”

Jack, “Nothing.”

David, “Then why’d you call me up here?”

Jack, “You need a break.”

David sighs and sits down, “How did you know?”

Jack, “It’s been an hour.”

David laughs, “I guess you’d know what these events are like, huh? How’d you get through them before?”

Jack, “Sex and booze.”

David, “I have never gotten this many indecent proposals in my life.”

Jack laughs, “You’re king!”

David, “And you know what the worst part is?”

Jack, “What?”

David, “I can’t tell if I keep getting invited to three-ways because I’m king, or because I’m bi.” Jack throws his head back with laughter. David gazes at him adoringly.

David, "Reinhardt says you should be down there. I think he's trying to teach me how to power couple.”

Jack rolls his eyes.

David shrugs, “He's not wrong. He says you make me look good.”

Jack, “You look good. Already. You already look good."

David, “Nah, it's deeper than that. Reinhardt was mostly bragging about his wife, but I think the point was that I can be much more impressive and influential with you next to me. I like that idea.”

Jack, “I’m not ready."

David, quietly reassuring, "Keep at your therapy. You’ll be ready.” He squeezes Jack's hand.

Jack smiles a little bit.

David sighs, “I should get going back. Thanks for calling me up here.”

Jack, “You’re welcome.”

David sends up, “Don’t wait up for me, okay? Go to bed when you feel tired.”

Jack, “Okay."

David leans in and kisses Jack’s cheek, “I love you.”

  * Back in the ballroom, Andrew looks down at his phone, and grins wickedly.



  * Elsewhere, David goes back up to Jessie, who chats with a pretty young woman.



David, to Jessie, “Hey, how are you holding up?”

Jessie, “I'm wonderful, I was just talking to this lovely young lady who says she met you at the palace once before you were king."

David, “You’ll have to forgive me, I met a lot of people in those days. What’s your name?"

Lady, "Lucinda Wolfson.”

David can’t place the name.

Lady, “I went on a date with Jack and he brought me back to the palace. You were there with King Silas.”

David recognizes her, “Oh, yeah, Lulu, I remember you! That was actually a very memorable night for me.”

Jessie looks over at someone, “Oh, David, I think there’s someone Rose said she wanted you to meet.”

David, “Uh, can you go talk to them for me? I’d kind of like to chat with Miss Wolfson.”

Lucinda, “Mrs. Caro, now. I'm not sure where my husband is.” She looks around.

Jessie, “Okay, you two have a good chat." She leaves.

David heaves an uncomfortable sigh, “I’m the one with the crown, but Mom’s much better at being royal than I am.”

Lucinda laughs, "Yeah. I can’t help but think about how if I'd married Jack, this would be my life."

David, “Yeah, I kind of screwed you over there.”

Lucinda smiles kindly, “How is Jack? Our date ended badly, but I’ve always wished him well. I was kind of disappointed to hear he’s not here tonight.”

David, “Actually that evening ended extremely well for Jack, and for me!”

Lucinda, "Really?"

David, “Yeah, that was a very memorable evening. Jack’s doing great, actually.”

Lucinda, “That’s so wonderful.”

David, “Yeah, he just doesn’t quite feel like he’s ready for social events yet. He's been through a lot, and, still, somehow, he’s got a long way to go. But for where he is, it’s doing great.”

Lucinda, “Give him my regards.” She looks over at the large picture of David in Damascus, and they both stare at it for a long, quiet moment.

Lucinda, “You know, for a while, I was really scared about all this revolution business. I mean, I’m a historian, and I know that revolutions rarely end well. I wanted to root for you, but I was scared of how it would end. And then I saw that picture. I just- I knew that you’d be an exception to history.”

David, “I hate that picture. What happened in Damascus was just… awful.”

Lucinda, “Whatever happened there… that picture got a lot of people on your side.”

Rose approaches David, “David, I have someone I’d like for you to meet.”

Lucinda, “Good evening, your highness.”

Rose looks at Lucinda and recognizes her, “Miss Wolfson, how nice to see you. If you’ll excuse me, I have to introduce David to someone.” She puts her hands on his shoulders and begins to move him away.

David, “Have a nice evening.”

Lucinda, “You too.”

Rose leads David to a woman, “This is Eloise Houben, she’s a major trader in fuel subsidies.”

David extends his hand, “It’s nice to meet you.”

Eloise, “Pleasure to meet you, your majesty. I’m interested in how the peace with Ammon has affected the oil trade- has the market been opened up?”

Rose’s phone buzzes, and she looks down at it.

David, “Uh, you should try talking to Abigail Benjamin-Hatch, she’s the one who loves that shit.”

Rose, “David, can I speak to you aside for a moment?”

David, “Sure,” he looks back over at Eloise, “Nice to meet you.”

Rose leads him to a place away from other people.

David, “What is it?”

Rose, “Something else leaked.”

David, “Oh, God, is it another sex tape?”

Rose, “No, it’s-” she sighs heavily, “It’s a picture of Jack in the hospital.” She raises his phone for him, and on the screen is a picture of Jack, head shaved, wounds uncovered, face swollen, hooked up to a respirator.

David tries to swallow his fury, “Is that OMGossip?”

Rose, “Yes.”

David looks around and sees Andrew staring at him in the crowd. Andrew sees him staring, and grins evilly.

David nods, “Find Abby, Shay, Joel, and Reinhardt, and tell them to meet me in my office.” He walks straight toward Andrew, who has Chloe and Christine beside him. Adam watches David pass him.

Andrew gives David a simpering smile, “Your majesty. So nice of you to finally talk to me tonight.”

David, “I would like to speak to you somewhere privately.”

Andrew, “I would be delighted.” They make their way towards a door. Adam sees it all and follows.

  * In a large, empty hallway, Christine, Chloe and Adam stand on the sidelines while David confronts Andrew.



David, raging, “You agreed that you would leave Jack alone!”

Adam frantically searches on his phone.

Andrew, “It’s not personal, it’s journalism.”

David, “You run a fucking gossip site!”

Behind everyone, Rose enters with Abby, Michelle, Shay, Joel, and Reinhardt. They see David screaming and rush towards him.

Shay, “David!” She goes up to him and puts her hand on his shoulder, “What’s wrong?”

David, “Did you see the pictures he fucking posted?”

Chloe looks over at Adam’s phone and sees the pictures of Jack. She gasps loudly and covers her mouth with her hands. Michelle and Rose on Abby’s phone. Abby’s jaw drops. Michelle covers her mouth, and Rose fights back tears.

Reinhardt steps up, “What is your source for these?”

Andrew, “The source is confidential.”

Reinhardt, “The prince was kept under 24-hour secure guard! How his room was infiltrated is an issue of national security!”

Andrew, “You aren’t in charge of the MSS anymore.”

Michelle, genuinely hurt, holding back tears, “Why would you do this, Andrew? Why would you be this fucking petty?”

Andrew, “Do you really want to know?” he rolls his eyes, “Given Jack’s dilettante history, people deserve to know that Jack isn't exaggerating his injury.”

David, “He’s not faking!”

Michelle, “He has metal plates in his skull! I watched them put them in!”

David, “I watched him get shot!”

Andrew, “He attended the wedding reception where he was the center of attention, but not a royal even where he's not.”

Rose, “These are very different events.”

Andrew, “Jack has always wanted the luxury and acclaim of being royal without the responsibilities of being royal.”

David, “You don’t know him!”

Andrew, “I’ve known him longer than you have.”

David snaps and punches Andrew. Chloe screams while Shay tries to restrain David. She pulls him back.

Andrew wipes at his bleeding nose, and seeing the blood on his fingers, sneers and says, “Afraid of the press and afraid of the truth, no different than Silas!”

David lunges forward, pummeling Andrew. Reinhardt, Joel and Shay all grab him and struggle to pull him back. When he can no longer punch, David continues to kick and stomp at Andrew. Chloe and Christine rush over to Andrew.

Reinhardt bellows orders, “Get him to his office!"

Abby and Michelle hurry off while Shay and Joel pull David away.

Christine helps Andrew up, “Come on, let's go.” She hurries him and Chloe away.

Adam and Rose are left standing there, and they stare at each other awkwardly.

Rose, “I have to get back to the party.” She hurries off.

Adam stands there, alone, reeling.

  * In David’s office, Shay and Joel push David into his seat while Abby and Michelle stand back. Reinhardt steps up to the desk.



David fuming, “How the fuck did this happen, Caesar? You told me he was under guard!”

Abby, “David, that is not the issue right now!”

David, "Yes it fucking is! I want to know how those fucking pictures were taken and I want to know how Andrew Cross got them!”

Reinhardt, trying to stay calm, “Jack was under guard.”

David, snapping, “Then how the fuck did a Gath spy get so close he could’ve unplugged his life support?!”

Reinhardt, “We don’t know for sure it was Gath.”

David, “How the fuck is this not Gath?! We are not letting them do this!”

Abby, “What do you want to do, David?”

David, “What can I do?”

Shay, “You want me to mount an attack? Start an invasion? If we do that, I gotta say, Shaw’s definitely baiting you, here. He wants you to attack.”

Joel, “Just give me the word, man, we can shut that fucker down completely.”

Reinhardt, calmly, “Not under the declaration of rights! Before we do anything, there needs to be an investigation. It could take a while.”

David, “I don’t want to wait.”

Reinhardt, “If an investigation finds evidence that Cross has been receiving information from Gath, it becomes a matter of national security, and we can shut them down.”

David, “What are we gonna do when we find all that?”

Abby, “First of all, I can demand an apology.”

David, “I don’t want a fucking apology!”

Abby, “Then what the do you want? Do you want to go to war?”

David “I don’t know!”

Abby, “This can be handled diplomatically, okay? But I can’t just go out right now and get an audience with Shaw and his diplomats. We have to at least wait until tomorrow.”

Reinhardt, “And we still need evidence.”

David, “It _is_ them!”

Reinhardt, “I know, but without evidence, they’ll just deny everything.”

David, “Shit!”

Michelle, “Andrew does this, David. He picks at old wounds. He wants to see you hurt.”

Shay, “Yeah, Shaw is also a big fan of the mind games. Gath has never had real military superiority, so that's what they rely on to keep Gilboa tied up.”

David, “So what should I do right now?” Everyone looks at each other awkwardly.

Reinhardt, “Go and wrap up this event. Pick everything up tomorrow.”

David, bitterly, “Fine.”

Reinhardt, “I’ll get the investigation going.”

  * In the back of the Cross limo, Andrew holds a wad of tissues to his nose with one hand and an ice pack to his cheek with the other.



Chloe, “You fucking deserved it, you know.”

Christine, “Like father, like son. He’s not the first Cross man to get punched by the king of Gilboa.”

Andrew, “This is not about Dad!”

Christine, “Everything is.”

Andrew’s phone buzzes. He looks at it and sees ADAM SOLANO on the screen. He answers, “Yes?”

In a palace hallway, Adam rushes to speak, “Beth Sabbatino. Her name is Beth Sabbatino. She was Ryan Hitt’s girlfriend, and she kind of got- I dunno, close to David. I don’t- she said nothing was going on, but, I- I dunno.”

Andrew, “You don’t know what a great service you just did for your country. Thank you.”

  * David stands in an isolated, hidden spot where he can look into ballroom. He leans pensively against the wall and stares at the picture of him in Damascus. Partygoers still gather around and admire it, completely unaware of what just transpired.



Reinhardt approaches him, “Everything’s in motion. We’ll find out where the pictures came from.”

David, “Thanks. I’m sorry for yelling at you. I just… I knew Jack was on life support, but to actually see it…” He takes a deep shaking breath and chokes up, “He was hurt so bad, and I wasn’t there with him.”

Reinhardt, “Do you need anything?”

David stares at the glittering party, “I suck at this event shit. I don’t know what to do around all these society people, and they can tell I’m in over my head.”

Reinhardt, “I was been watching you all evening, you were actually doing pretty well until the Cross shit happened. It’s only your first event as king, and it took me a hell of a lot more than just one to get used to it.”

David looks down at his bruised knuckles, “God, I’m a fucking mess. How long do you think it’ll take for them to realize that I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing? When do you think they’ll realize I’ve been faking it all along?”

Reinhardt, “David, right now, I’m going to stop speaking as your minister of defense and start speaking as someone whose personal ambitions you thwarted. Before you blew up that tank, I was doing absolutely fucking great. I spent _years_ doing everything I could to get close to the crown, I even thought that if I played my cards right, I could be king. I was a beloved hero, I was the youngest minster, and I was poised to be Silas’s chosen successor. And then you came along and fucked that all in the ass!”

David, “I didn’t mean to.”

Reinhardt, “That’s the worst fucking part! You did it all without even trying!” he points to the crowd in the ballroom, “When I look out there, I see a fuckload of people who used to think they had their life locked down, who felt like they had everything under control, but that all got shot to hell. Now, they’re out there trying desperately to re-gain the position and security they once had. They need a king to tell them who they fucking are and what they fucking do, and guess what, asshole! That’s you!”

David looks at him, and Reinhardt takes a moment to compose himself, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken so rashly. It’s just god fucking damnit, you’re good at this shit! I have struggled so much just to be _half_ as good at it as you are! You’ve got everything that I want, everything that a lot of people want, and you have the fucking gall to just wallow in self-pity and say you aren’t a leader!”

David looks out over the oversize pictures of him: blowing up the tank, inciting a rebellion against Silas, in Damascus, fighting Amalekites in the Western Mall, declaring war against Abner, standing on the balcony of the palace after the coup.

David, “Go home. We have a lot of work tomorrow.”


	56. S6, E7: War Games

**“War Games”**

Dr. Othman talks to David, "What did you feel, when you hit Andrew?”

David, “Nothing. It’s like my brain shuts off and something else takes over.”

Othman, “You lost control?”

David, “Yeah.”

Othman, "So why didn't you kill him?”

David, “What? I- I wouldn't do that.”

Othman, “So you _were_ in control.”

David looks at him, confused.

Othman, “It is very rare for people to actually, fully lose control of their actions. Some even say it's impossible. You reached a point where you gave yourself permission to do something you wouldn’t otherwise do. Impulse control is harder for some people than it is for others, but you can learn to recognize your triggers. What did seeing those pictures make you feel?”

David, “Like I was back on Mt. Gilboa. I couldn’t protect Jack then, and I still can’t protect him. From the very beginning of all this, I knew, the worst thing that could happen to me is something happens to Jack. He could die, scared and alone, far away from me, and I can’t do anything to stop it. That’s the worst thing that can happen.”

Othman, “What would you do, if that happened?”

David, “Kill myself.”

Othman, “Even with everything that relies on you as king?”

David, “Yes.”

Othman, “Even with all the other people who love you?”

David, “They’d understand.”

Othman, “Do you think about this often?”

David, “It’s kind of comforting, in a weird way. I’ve found myself in so many situations where I don’t know what to do, where I don’t know how things could possibly get worse. But I know what the worst thing is. I’ve faced it head on. And I know what I’ll do if I get there again. I don’t want to get there, though. Anyone who tries to hurt Jack is going to suffer for it.”

Othman, “You see, David, the problem is, you’ve vowed that you won’t be a brutal despot like Silas. Are you going to keep that vow, or let your darkness get the better of you?”

  * A motorcade drives up to the entrance of a Gilboan army base. A group of generals stand waiting. Half of them are young AFG vets eagerly awaiting David's arrival, and the other half are older generals who served Silas, A soldier opens the door of the royal limo, and David steps out. A line of troops behind the generals all salute. David looks over them, hiding his unease, and says, "A-at ease.”



The AFG officers step forward. One officer, Col. Kamal, greets him, “We’re delighted to have you here, your majesty.”

David, “I’m glad to be here.” Another SUV drives up, and Shay steps out, followed by Adam.

An officer from the Queens of Gilboa, Maj. Struna, steps over to greet her, “Welcome to Camp Clayton, General Mendoza!”

Shay, “What’s up, Carrie? The boys treating you good?”

Struna, “All the boys want to be Queens of Gilboa.” They both laugh. One of the older officers,

Gen. Harel, steps forward David, “Your majesty.”

David, “It’s good to meet you, sir.”

Harel, "I believe I'm the one who's supposed to be calling you sir.”

David, “What?” he realizes what's going on and blushes, “Oh, oh my god, I'm sorry.”

Harel, “Don't apologize, sir.”

David, “Oh, yeah. I- I went through my basic training here. Back then, I was just another nameless grunt.”

Another SUV pulls up behind them, and Reinhardt steps out.

Harel smiles, “Good morning, Minister Reinhardt.”

Reinhardt, “Good morning, General Harel.”

Reinhardt glances at David, “This is the man who saved my life and General Mendoza’s life by refusing orders to drone the MSS building.”

David, uncomfortably, “Yes, I’m aware.”

Harel, “I have very important things to show all of you.”

  * David stands in front of a group of screens, each one showing an image of amassed Gath troops.



Harel, “Gath is amassing more troops at the border. They’re regularly engaged in practice maneuvers simulating another assault.”

Reinhardt, “Can we bring more of our own troops out?”

David, quickly, “No.”

Everyone looks at him.

David, awkwardly, “Gath is going to see any response from us as an escalation. We need to handle this as diplomatically as possible, and carefully consider every little move.”

Shay, “How is the integration of the AFG going? We can’t fight if we aren’t a united front.”

The AFG officers and older officers exchange awkward looks.

Harel, “There’s tension.”

David, “Such as?”

Kamal, “There has been some predictable mistrust among AFG and old army veterans, but it’s been made clear that fighting will not be tolerated.”

Harel, “I happen to disagree.”

Everyone looks at him.

Harel, “It’s insulting to Gilboan army veterans who have bled for Gilboa to be passed up for their deserved promotions for young AFG veterans.”

David, “Many of our AFG veterans, especially among those who have been given officer positions, are army veterans who defected.”

Harel, “I have officers being out-ranked by brand-new officers half their age!" He casts a look at Adam, “Like him! Is he even old enough to buy a beer?”

Adam, “I’m twenty-one.”

David, “Captain Solano is one of the AFG’s most accomplished fighters. He’s acted heroically many times and saved a lot of lives.”

Reinhardt, “As someone who has been on the wrong end of a fight with the AFG, I can assure you that these guys know how to fight. The new officers’ ranks are earned. I’m afraid you need to tell your men to suck it up, put their egos aside, and serve their country as directed by their king.”

David, “If Gath is truly considering war, we cannot ourselves be divided like this! I know these aren't just small differences of opinion. I know that to a lot of your men, it's unconscionable to work alongside the people they so recently were fighting, but Gath is counting on us to fall apart!”

As everyone talks, Adam's phone quietly buzzes. He discreetly takes it out of his pocket and looks at the screen: “OMGossip! The Crimes of Caesar Reinhardt.”

Shay, “What is our strategy going to be moving forward?”

Adam looks at Reinhardt.

David, “I want to get some numbers on what Gath has amassed. Once we have something concrete, we can make more solid plans.”

Reinhardt glances over and sees Adam looking at him. Adam glances away quickly.

David goes on, “I'm still committed to peace. Gath is going to have to be the one who makes the first move. When they make it, we’ll be prepared.”

  * After the meeting, everyone heads outside. David takes out his phone and sees text after text from Rose. He pauses and stares at the screen.



Shay pauses next to him, “What’s up?”

David, “Rose has been blowing up my phone for the last hour, it looks like.” He clicks on a link, and the OMGossip article about Reinhardt comes up.

Behind them, Reinhardt stares at him phone, stony-faced.

Shay looks over David's shoulder and says softly, “What the fuck?”

David’s phone starts to ring, David answers, “What?”

Rose is on the other end, “Have you read it?”

David, “I just got out of a major defense meeting. What's going on?”

Rose, “OMGossip published an exposé on Reinhardt’s time as director of the MSS.”

David, “Yeah, I know what he did, I looked all through his files!”

Rose, “You know, but the public doesn’t. You need to get back here as quickly as possible, and _read the article_.”

  * David and Shay sit reading on their phones in the back of the royal limousine on the ride home. Reinhardt stares out the window. Adam looks at him, full of disgust and hatred.



On David’s screen, a picture of Nora & Leo Levinson. He scrolls down and pictures of the people who’s names Silas once read, Frank Hatch among them, comes up. Reinhardt glances over and sees Adam looking at him.

Shay scrolls, and a picture of Isaiah comes on her screen. She sighs and looks with repulsion at Reinhardt. He sees her looking and turns away.

  * Rose, Asher, Abby, Monique, and Joel sit waiting in the council chamber. David enters, followed by Shay, Adam, and Reinhardt. Asher makes no attempt to hide his loathing as he watches Reinhardt sit. David takes his seat.



Rose, “Have you read everything?”

David, “Yes. And there was nothing new in the article. I knew about it. We all knew about it.”

Asher, “He gave direct orders. Go to my parents’ house and kill anyone there.”

David sighs deeply.

Monique, “This article is just barely scratching the surface of shit he’s done, shit I knew about long before David blew up the tank. I’ve seen friends and good people go into his prisons and never come out. I've watched him serve you, David, and I've held my tongue. To be completely honest… it makes me sick to see him wearing my uniform.”

Reinhardt, "First of all, I’d like to say that as director of the MSS, everything I did was under the order of King Silas.”

Asher, muttering furiously, “Don't say you were just following orders. Don’t you dare fucking say you were just following orders.”

Reinhardt, “I was doing my job and I was doing it as well as I possibly could. I take full responsibility for all of it.”

Joel, “I killed Abner because of Isaiah. I shouldn’t have stopped with just him.”

David, “Abner could be justified as an act of war, anything else would just be murder.”

Joel, “Does it matter? Death is death, orders or not.”

Shay, “We need him.”

Everyone looks at her.

She goes on, “The wars with Gath and Ammon left the Gilboan army depleted, and a good number of Silas's old officers left when David was crowned. We have a severe shortage of leadership, and Gath gathering its troops at our borders. Any other time, I’d say fuck Reinhardt, but this is about survival.” She looks at David, and everyone else follows suit.

David sighs deeply and sinks down in his seat. He rubs his forehead, “I don’t know. I’m gonna need to think about this.”

Rose, “Don’t take too long. I have to make a press announcement, and nobody likes to hear that a king is _thinking about it_.”

Reinhardt, “May I say something?"

David looks at him.

Reinhardt, hesitating somewhat, "I don't pretend to be a good person. But with this job, David has given me an opportunity to become better. I can’t undo what I’ve done, but I can set myself to doing right.”

Asher gets up from his seat, and approaches Reinhardt. He leans against the table and crosses his arms, scrutinizing him, trying to judge his sincerity. Finally, he says, “Forgiveness comes with honest repentance. If you were to sincerely ask me for my forgiveness, it would be my duty to grant it. But forgiveness can only granted by the people you ask it from, and guess what? You can’t ask my parents.”

Adam, “I…” he falters. Everyone looks at him. He looks around awkwardly, and then quietly says, “I didn't join the AFG hoping to see the same people stay in power. This isn't what we fought for.”

David, “I need to think about this!”

  * David and Jack sit on opposite ends of the couch. Jack watches TV, David scribbles at something in a notebook.



Jack nudges David with his foot, “No work at home.”

David doesn’t look up, “I’m sorry. It’s just the only thing that will help me get my mind off of work is more work.”

Jack moves over to look at the notebook, “Whatcha doing?”

David, “Charter Day speech.”

Jack makes a face, “Speech writer.”

David sighs, “I know, but I’m supposed to be unifying the nation I just kind of led into civil war. It should be at least a little bit personal.” He pauses, and then says, “Did Silas ever go over his speeches with you?"

Jack, “Sometimes, sometimes…” he concentrates, and then adopts a low, gravelly voice like Silas, “Read this, Jack. Louder. Clearer. More conviction! A king…” he falters and returns to his normal voice, “A king…” The words get lost. He gives David a look that says, You get the point.

David gently plays with Jack’s hair, “You should be in my meetings with me.”

Jack, “I’m not ready.”

David, “You’re still my best advisor, and half of the time, you know more about any given situation than I do.”

Jack thinks for a moment, “Gerald wants war. He won’t stop.”

David, “I know that much.”

Jack, “He’s trying to… to… th-the pictures. You. Angry.”

David, “Bait me into attacking first?”

Jack, “Yeah.”

David, “I’m not gonna be the one who declares war. If Gerald wants it, he has to brave enough to declare it himself.”

Jack, “No promises. Gerald fights dirty.”

David sighs deeply, “What should I do about Reinhardt?”

Jack shrugs, “He’s your friend.”

David, “He is not my friend.”

Jack gives him a look.

David, “Sometimes he helps me with stuff, that does not make him my friend.”

Jack, “You’re the king. It’s your decision.”

David, “Will you do this meeting with me?”

Jack, “Fine.”

  * David stands at a window, looking down at a huge group of gathered anti-Reinhardt protesters. The day is grey and rainy, but the protesters are still there in full force, waving signs that call either for his resignation, firing, imprisonment, or hanging



  * David sits in the treaty room across from Michael Shaw and a bunch of Gath diplomats. Abby, Shay, and Jack sit with him.



David, “Don’t insult my intelligence by saying that Gath isn’t behind the OMGossip leaks. There’s absolutely no one else who could have done it, and you do this shit all the time.”

Michael, “It could have been an opportunist looking to make a quick dollar.”

David, “If that were the case, the pictures of Jack would have been released when he was still in the hospital and his condition was kept from the public.”

Abby, “I was in the Ashdod apartment with David and Rabbi Levinson. Between the three of us, it was never empty, and we never had any visitors. The recording device could only have been planted before we arrived there. Our Ministry of Investigation currently has its finest men working on the case. In the case of the leaked pictures of Prince Jack, we have footage of an unauthorized person disguised as an orderly going into the prince’s hospital room. When that person is identified as a Gath operative, it will be grounds for sanctions.”

Michael, “We already have sanctions against us. As far as we’re concerned OMGossip is a news website that’s producing quality investigative journalism. Besides, Gath didn’t have to turn over anything for their exposé on Caesar Reinhardt. Honestly, we couldn’t have given them anything nearly as good as what they dug up on their own. I couldn’t help but notice he isn’t here today.”

David, “I really don’t give a fuck that you’re trying to shake my people’s trust in me with that recording. I’ve been frank about my mental health all along, and I’ve received treatment since that recording was made. Jack, however, was not only shot by your father, he now has been dealt the indignity of being photographed at his most vulnerable.”

Jack, slowly enunciating each word, “I want an apology.”

Michael, “Gath is not responsible-”

Jack cuts him off, “Bullshit!”

Michael sighs and thinks for a moment, “I might be able to work something out with the expatriation of Dr. Max Othman back to Gath.”

David, “No. That’s not going to happen. He not only saved my life, but he is a tremendous help to me and a number of other AFG veterans. The only way you’re getting him is if you invade Shiloh. In fact-”

A sudden, loud BOOM of thunder causes him to jump.

Michael smiles, “Are you all right, your majesty?”

Jack reaches over and puts his hand over David’s.

David takes a deep breath and re-composes himself, “I’m fine. This isn’t a negotiation. An apology would simply be good manners. If you want something from us, we have to get something in exchange.”

Jack slides a piece of paper across the table, "A reduction in Gath troops along the border."

Another roll of thunder causes David to shift uncomfortably.

Michael looks at the paper, “Any troop withdrawal will have to be approved by my father directly.”

David, “Then send it to him!”

Suddenly, the sound of a loud explosion. Everyone on the Gilboa side jumps, David covers his head. After a brief moment, everyone realizes it wasn’t a real explosion.

Michael smirks and pulls out his phone, “Sooooo sorry. I should have changed my new ring tone before coming here. It’s the sound of our new Goliath XV.”

David, “ _Jesus_ , that’s not funny!”

Abby is visibly shaking but manages to keep her composure, “We're going to take a break.”

  * In another room, David paces furiously, “I can't believe they would pull a stupid trick like that!”



Jack, “I can.”

David, “They’re not taking this seriously at all! We’re not going to achieve anything with this!"

Abby, “Achieving things isn’t the goal. We’re tying them up in diplomacy to slow down the escalation.”

David, “Fuck!”

Shay, “David, Gerald’s not here, so you don’t have to be here, either.”

David, “Yes I do, I’m the king!” He slumps against the wall.

Abby, “I think it’s a good idea. If they want to negotiate with you, they'll have to respect you."

David looks at Jack.

Jack, “He’ll do it again. He has more. For you. Not for me.”

David, “Yeah, okay, fine.”

Shay, “You go relax. We'll handle this.”

  * In the palace gym, David has a private yoga lesson. An instructor leads him through a basic pose, “And breathe deeply.”



David follows the instruction.

The instructor gently corrects his position, “Really open yourself up…”

One of David’s arms starts to shake and his face twitches.

Instructor, “Just keep holding….”

David breaks the position, gasping for air.

Instructor, “Are you all right?”

David, “I’m fine, I’m fine!” He struggles to get up.

Instructor, “Are you sure?”

David, “I just need some air!” He staggers out into an empty hallway. He bumps against a wall, and then crumples to his knees, shaking and panting. He stays there for a few moments, breathing deeply and trying to re-gain some control. Eventually, he calms down a bit, and moves to sit more comfortably. He leads his head back against the wall, and then grabs his phone out of his pocket. He presses a number and holds it to his ear.

In his home, Reinhardt answers, “What?”

David, the words rushing out, “Have you ever had a panic attack while you're working out or something?”

Reinhardt, “What?"

David, “I was having a fucking yoga lesson and…”

Reinhardt, bemused, "You were doing yoga?”

David, “Shut the fuck up! Have you ever heard of shit like that happening, or am I just going fucking crazy?”

Reinhardt, growing a little bit more serious, “Yeah. I know a few guys that sort of thing’s happened to. Something to do with the awareness of your body, feeling helpless, something like that.”

David runs a shaking hand through his hair, “ _Fuck_.”

Reinhardt, "Are you all right?”

David, “I… I’ll be fine.”

Reinhardt, "You did the right thing, calling me. It helps to talk to someone."

David sighs and rubs his face.

Reinhardt, “This might be the wrong time to ask, but… do I still have a job?”

David, "I should have had you tried and executed when I had the fucking chance."

Reinhardt, “Yeah, you’ve told me that before. Do you want me to come in tomorrow or not?”

David, “You’re the only person I can talk about this shit to. You know what it’s like to deal with it all and still be a leader. You've been through it all and come out the other side. I need that."

Reinhardt, “David…"

David, "What?"

Reinhardt, “There is no _other side_. It doesn't go away. You just learn how to deal with it better.”

David, “I can’t just fucking live with it!”

Reinhardt, “Unfortunately, you don't have much of a choice. Do I still have a job?”

David, “Yes! Shay’s right. You've got knowledge and experience that no one in the AFG has, and we need it if Gilboa is going to fucking survive.”

Reinhardt, "I guess I’ll see you tomorrow morning, then."

David, "You aren’t getting paid. You’re doing this as an act of repentance and service to Gilboa. You’re going to be staying in diplomatic negotiations with Gath for however long they last. If someone’s going to suffer through them, it might as well be you.”

Reinhardt, “I can deal with that.”

David, “Everyone else still hates you, by the way.”

Reinhardt, “Yeah, I know. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

David sighs, “Yeah, I'll see you. Bye.” He hangs up. He puts the phone down and leans his head back. Tiredly, he rubs his face.

  * The next morning, David sits in his office with Adam and Liam.



David, “You guys think you can put together a little speech to introduce my big speech on Charter Day?”

Liam, “Yeah, sure!”

David, “Awesome. You guys are more popular than I am right now. Seriously, nothing too fancy, just a bunch of stuff about uniting in the name of Gilboa, that sort of thing.”

Liam, “Totally. We’ll be great at it.”

David, “You good with that, Adam?”

Adam, “Yeah.”

David, “Okay, great. Uh, listen, the real reason I called you in here early is because the big news story today is gonna be that Reinhardt is coming back.”

Liam, disgusted, “Seriously?”

Adam goes very still.

David, “The fact remains that we need him right now. He’s not gonna get paid any more, he’s just…. serving Gilboa. Can you make a statement, Adam?”

Adam, “I… I’m not happy that he’s back.”

David, “No one is. Trust me, I’m not happy that we’re so dependent on him, but that’s just what we’re dealing with right now. If you don’t want to make the statement, I can have Liam or Rose do it.”

Adam, “No, I…” he takes a shaking breath, “I can do it.”

David, “Seriously, never mind. I’ll have Rose do it. She knows him better than you do.”

Adam nods and doesn’t say anything.

David, “Are you okay, Adam?”

Adam hesitates for a moment, thinking hard, and then quietly says, “I wouldn’t have joined the AFG if I knew I’d end up working alongside Caesar Reinhardt.”

David, “I understand. You just have to believe me when I say that this is about survival. Do you believe me?”

Adam stares hard it him, his face inscrutable.

David, “Do you?”

Adam, “Yes, sir.”

  * A few days later, David waits in the bedroom impatiently for Jack to get ready, “Oh my god, how long does it take for you to do your hair?!”



Jack, in his bathroom, “Few more minutes!”

David rolls his eyes and goes out into the living room. He picks up his speech papers and looks over them one more time. He takes his phone out of his pocket and calls Reinhardt.

Comfortable in his house, Reinhardt picks up, “What’s up?”

David, “I’m leaving for the speech as soon as Jack gets done… which could be a while. I’m still not really satisfied with this speech, is there anything you think I should say?”

Reinhardt, “You’re asking me this because?”

David, “I dunno, considering that you’ve always got a bitchy remark, I just thought you’d have something to say.”

Reinhardt, “I am currently enjoying a nice quiet evening with the wife and kid. I’m not taxing my brain at all tonight. One of the perks of not being king.”

David, “Rub it in, why don’t you?”

Reinhardt, “You’re the one who called. You okay?”

David, “Yeah, just pretty nervous.”

Reinhardt, “Hey, there’s no shame in acknowledging what you can’t handle. If you need to get out of there, get out of there. And call me, if you need support, okay?”

David, “Okay. You enjoy your evening.”

Reinhardt, “You, too, man.”

David hangs up the phone.

  * Charter day celebration in Kings Park: immediate sensory overload. Children run around and wave sparklers while smoke wafts from grills. Loud music plays while partygoers mingle and talk loudly. A gathering of AFG veterans and their families reminisce. Lights are bright and colors over-saturated.



David stands nervously looking out at the crowd in a tented area, while behind him Jack and Michelle chat and chow down on ribs. Someone sets off a string of firecrackers, and David jumps.

Jack looks up at him, “You okay?”

David, taking a deep breath, “Yeah.”

Michelle, “You should eat something, David.”

David, “No, I’m not hungry.”

Michelle, “Seriously?”

David, “I’m fine.”

Cut to: David stands at a podium. He looks out at the crowd that looks expectantly up at him. David, “I’ve honestly had a pretty tough time preparing this speech. Tonight, I must ask the people of Gilboa to unify as one, but, such a plea feels hollow coming from someone who’s caused so much division. In spite of everything, we must be Gilboans above loyalists or rebels, because, the fact is, we have enemies who only see us as Gilboans. I’ve been criticized quite harshly for not doing enough to punish those who once fought against me and the AFG. Not only do I see no point in further punishing those who have already lost a war, I’ve found that it’s better to make allies. Some of the friendships I’ve made may be unusual, but I’m grateful for them.”

  * Backstage, Jack hugs David as he comes in, having finished his speech, “You were good!”



David, “I didn’t freak out, that’s good.”

Michelle approaches him, “You did good, David. You always do good.”

David, “Thanks.”

Michelle, “You gonna come watch the fireworks with us?”

David, “You take Jack out there, I’ll be with you in a minute.”

Michelle, “Okay.” She takes Jack’s arm, and they go out.

David takes his phone out of his pocket and calls Reinhardt. The phone rings a few times, but then goes to voicemail, “This is Caesar, leave a message.” David ends the conversation, a look of concern on his face. He goes to join Michelle and Jack, but before he’s out of the tent, a loud BOOM causes him to jump. He cowers for a moment, but then stands up. He takes a deep breath, counts silently, and then goes outside. Fireworks boom as he goes over to Jack and Michelle. He takes a seat by Jack.

Jack, “You okay?”

David, “Yeah, that first one startled me, but I’m okay.” Another loud BOOM and he jumps slightly.

Jack, “We can leave.”

David, “No, I said I’d keep my shit together through this. I’m going to enjoy the show.” Another BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, and he squirms uncomfortably in his seat. He shuts his eyes and breathes deeply. He squeezes Jack’s hand and clenches his jaw. The show continues, and David flinches with each boom.

He leans in to Jack, “I’m not leaving, I’m just taking a break.” He hurries back into the tent, and pulls his phone out again. With shaking hands, he tries calling Reinhardt again. “This is Caesar, leave a message.”

David, “Uuuh, Caesar, man, I really need you to pick up, I-I said I was gonna get through this whole show, but it’s just started, and,” he jumps at a boom, “J-just call me, okay?” He ends the conversation and looks around in frustration. Another BOOM makes him jump. He tries Reinhardt again. “This is Caesar, leave a message.”

David ends the conversation, “FUCK!” He paces as the fireworks continue. He looks out at Jack and Michelle enjoying the show. He tries Reinhardt again. “This is Cae-”

David ends the conversation and goes back out to Jack, “I need to leave. I thought I’d be able to handle this, but I can’t.”

  * In the back of an SUV, David apologizes to Jack, “I’m sorry, I tried calling Reinhardt, I thought he could talk me through it, but for some reason, he’s not picking up. He must be at dinner.”



Jack, “You okay?”

David, “Yeah, I- I’ll be okay. We left just in time, though.” He sighs heavily, “You aren’t mad about this, or anything, are you? I didn’t want to ruin your first public event as Prince-Consort.”

Jack, “No.”

David smiles slightly, “Okay. Thanks. I should probably call him and tell him I left. I’m pretty sure he’d have just told me to leave, anyway.”

He calls Reinhardt, “This is Caesar. Leave a message.”

David, “Um, hi, Caesar, I just left, uh- don’t worry about me. I’ll see you later.” He ends the conversation and shakes his head, “This is weird.”

Jack, “Text him.”

David, “Okay.” He types in a text, “You okay? Kinda worried. Text me back.” He sends it.

David, “He’s probably just having dinner.”

  * ([“Way Down We Go” Kaleo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-7IHOXkiV8)) Close up: Reinhardt’s phone, in his hand, dings and lights up, “Text message from ASSHOLE.”



A police officer, standing in Reinhardt’s living room, “Who the hell keeps blowing up his phone?”

Another officer squats down and looks at the screen, “Says message from asshole.”

A crime scene analyst snaps, “Don’t touch it until all the photographs are taken.” He takes a few more pictures. Reinhardt lies on his back, eyes open in surprise, phone in his hand, four bullet holes in his chest, one in his forehead. Behind the police officers, Lydia weeps uncontrollably.

His phone dings again. “Text message from ASSHOLE: seriously, where are you?”


	57. S6, E8. Be Fruitful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wedding aesthetics: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wnliROide4og20hKkEkZ_H3iEoDkf0MR

**“Be Fruitful”**

David sits with Joel in his office.

Joel, “There’s surveillance footage of two suspects entering and leaving the apartment building at the time of the murders. When Lydia heard the bangs, she assumed they were fireworks, and didn’t go into the living room for a couple more minutes. If she’d have gone right when she heard the noise, she’d probably have been killed, too.”

David, “Is Gath behind this?”

Joel, “We can’t rule it out yet, but, I personally believe it was political.”

David, “Why?”

Joel, “I’ve heard of similar plans being discussed among certain radical anarchist groups.”

David, “How do you know it’s being discussed among them?”

Joel, “Informants. The MI has agents dedicated to monitoring extremist groups.”

David, “Groups like the ones you used to be a part of?”

Joel takes a breath, thinking for a moment, “Yeah. I’ll be honest, I have some personal experience that makes me believe that Gilboans did this.”

David, “Are _you_ behind it?”

Joel, “What? No.”

David, “I swear to god, Joel, please, just tell me the fucking truth.”

Joel, “I don’t know who killed Reinhardt, and right now, I am doing my best to follow the orders you gave me, and find the person who did.”

David stares at him, scrutinizing.

Joel, “I don’t know how to make you believe me, but, it’s true.”

David, “All right. I believe you. But, please, be honest with me about what you find.”

Joel, “I will.”

  * David stands awkwardly at the podium at Reinhardt’s funeral. The casket is draped in the AFG flag.



David, “Last week I made a speech about becoming friends with an old enemy, and today, I’m delivering his eulogy.”

Out in the pews, Lydia Reinhardt wipes away tears, and tries to comfort her son in her lap. Sitting beside her, Rose puts a comforting hand on her shoulder.

David, “It’s unexpected, and it’s unfair, and honestly, I- I’m angry about it. It’s been suggested to me that Gilboans did this- Gilboans seeking vengeance they believe is rightfully theirs.”

Shay and Joel sit listening. Shay glances nervously over at Joel.

David, “We can’t say anything for sure yet, but the possibility is there,” he sighs deeply, “We can’t do this. As much as I’ve fought for peace, Premier Shaw continues to push for war. We must unify as a nation. Vengeance feels good, but what does it do? It spreads misery. It weakens us, and makes us victims of our own hatred.”

Lydia weeps. Michelle and Abby hold hands. Beside them, Jack listens.

David, “Caesar Reinhardt should be advising me right now. He should be there to raise his son, and support his wife. The people I know I can trust are few and far between, and Caesar was one of them. I’ve lost a friend. Gilboa has lost a hero. If we continue to allow casual violence and personal division, we will lose much more.”

  * After the service, David and Joel to Lydia.



Joel, “The investigation is ongoing. If I had any new news, I’d give it to you.”

Lydia, “How can you have not found anything yet? The killers are on surveillance video!”

Joel, “We haven’t found anything beyond that.”

Lydia, “Is Gath behind this?”

Joel, “I don’t know.”

Lydia, “Was it ex-AFG? I can’t imagine how many of your veterans are out there saying he got what he deserved.”

Joel, “I don’t know.”

David, “It _wasn’t_ AFG.”

Joel, “We can’t rule anything out yet.”

David, “I’ve spoken about this before, we don’t take personal vengeance.”

Lydia, cynically, giving Joel a dirty look, “Except for when you can call it a coup.”

David steps forward and gently puts a hand on her shoulder, “We’re all angry about this, Lydia. We’re doing our best, but whoever did this clearly knew what they were doing.”

Lydia, “I thought the gunshots were fireworks! You were very good at hiding in the AFG, weren’t you?”

David, “If it was AFG, they’ll be dealt with like any other criminal. I won’t let this go unsolved.”

Lydia sobs, “Matthew is two years old. He’s going to grow up without any memories of his father. What am I supposed to tell him? How do I explain to him that somebody killed his daddy, and that he had so many enemies the police couldn’t identify any potential suspects?”

David, apologetically, “I don’t know.”

Rose comes up behind him, “David, I’m sorry but we have to get going.”

David, to Lydia, “I’m sorry, she’s right, I have to go.”

Lydia, “Where?”

David, “This fucking wedding. I’m sorry, I-” he pauses, thinking, “I want to help you and Matthew as best I can. If there ever comes a time when he needs a mentor, who can tell him what his father was like, I’ll be more than happy to take that role.”

Lydia smiles sadly, “Thank you, David.”

David, “I swear, as soon as anything happens, you’ll be the first to know,” awkwardly, he pats her on the shoulder, “You… take care of yourself.”

  * In his bedroom, David packs his overnight bag while Jack sits in a chair and watch.



David bitches, “I’m not even there yet and I already hate everything. I should be able to get out of this kind of shit.”

Jack, “Diplomacy. Royal weddings are big deals.”

David, “Warner has thirteen kids-”

Jack corrects him, “Fourteen.”

David, “They’re all gonna get married. Do they seriously expect me to attend all of them?”

Jack, “Wayne is the heir. Future king, future queen.”

David, “Laura managed to get out of it.”

Jack, “Warner funded terrorists.”

David, “I know, I know. Is it fucked up that this shit almost makes me miss leading the AFG? All the stress, none of the bullshit events.”

Jack, “Just lots of combat.”

David zips his bag shut, “I’m thinking, when this clusterfuck of events is over, hopefully after Judgement Day, we can go back out to the cabin or something. Not for two weeks, just over the weekend or something,” he looks over at Jack, “I could use a couple days of just laying in bed with you.”

Jack grins, “Okay.”

David goes over to Jack, and helps him stand up, “Even if you’re not gonna be there, I’m gonna be saying ‘my husband’ as much as I can.”

Jack laughs.

David, “I still want you to go to the speech loss group, okay?”

Jack makes a face and groans, “No.”

David, “I know you think it’s bullshit, but it’ll be good for you, seriously. If I can get through this fucking wedding, you can get through an hour of group therapy.”

Jack, rolling his eyes, “Okay.”

David hugs him tightly, “Thanks. If anything happens with you, I’ll drop everything and come back.”

Jack, “You won’t have to.”

  * David sits on royal private jet, staring forlornly out the window while around him, Abby, Rose, and Jessie chat.



Jessie, “This is so exciting! My first royal wedding!”

David, “And what did Jack and I do two months ago?”

Jessie, “You know what I mean!”

David, “You’re gonna have to be careful, Mom, you know about the whole compulsory marriage thing, right?”

Abby, “And the LGBT conversion.”

Jessie, “Yes, I know, but I want to enjoy the spectacle!”

Rose looks at David, “I should remind you, as well, to be on your best behavior.”

David, “What?”

Rose, “You’re still very sore about Reinhardt, I wouldn’t put it past someone to try to use it to provoke you.”

David, “I got through dinner with Gerald, I can handle a fucking wedding.”

Abby, “Don’t worry, I’ll be chaperoning him the whole time.”

David, annoyed, “Didn’t Silas get in a fistfight at a wedding once?”

Rose, sheepish and salty as fuck, “That was Jack.”

David, “You have my word that I won’t punch anyone, okay?”

  * David, Abby, and Jessie go into the lobby of the hotel: there’s an enormous centerpiece of a golden, radiant cross surrounded by huge, gaudy flowers. Behind them, staff members scramble with their luggage.



Abby, “We’re each getting our own rooms, right?”

David, “Well, this place is strictly royalty and staff only for the weekend, so, yeah, I guess.”

Jessie, “That’s just wasteful!”

David, “We can get a room with two single beds, if you want.”

Jessie, “You don’t want to spend your big royal event with your mom.”

David, “Well, that’s kind of why I brought you here,” he reaches into his pocket, “Here, I’ve got the keys, we can just go up.”

He starts to walk towards the elevator when from behind them, a voice shouts, “David!” David turns around and sees Quentin approaching.

David, “Hi, Quentin.” He turns back to Abby and Jessie, “You two go get settled while I talk to Quentin, okay?” He gives them the keys.

Quentin, “Hey, Abby, you bring Frankie?”

Abby, “No. I already have my hands full enough keeping an eye on David,” she gets in the elevator with Jessie, “I’ll send him your regards.” She presses a button and the doors slide shut.

Quentin turns back to David, “How are you holding up, man?”

David, “I’ve definitely been better.”

Quentin, “You going to the bachelor party?”

David, “The absolute worst thing I could possibly do right now is get seen with even more strippers.”

Quentin, “Dude, we’re in Ammon. Strippers are illegal and the strongest thing they have to drink is root beer. You look like someone who needs to have fun. Besides, I need to get away from Miranda.”

David, “Miranda?”

Quentin, “Girl I’m dating. Nice girl from a good family. Everyone wants me to marry her. Shit sucks.”

David, “We still haven’t found who killed Caesar Reinhardt. My security team won’t let me go anywhere until we find them.”

The other elevator dings, and the door slides open. Michael, Fredrick, and Leon Shaw step forward into the lobby. Michael and Fredrick give long, cruelly smiling glances at David as they pass him. David watches them whisper and snicker among themselves.

David, “Besides, there’s certain people I’m trying to avoid while I’m here.”

Quentin, looking back at the Shaws, “Don’t worry. I’ll keep the Shaw boys away from you.”

David, “I think it’s best that I just stay out of trouble.”

  * Later, David flips through the channels on the TV while Jessie puts her hair in rollers.



David, “I honestly can’t remember the last time I watched a movie.”

Jessie, “There’s always a superhero movie on somewhere. You always like those.”

David, “Nah, I’m feeling kinda restless. I think I’m gonna go for a swim, okay?”

  * David swims in the hotel indoor pool. He wears a tiny pair of shorts that Jack picked out for their honeymoon, showing off his body and scars. The room is empty save for David’s security guys. He swims a few laps, trying to clear his mind. He floats peacefully on his back, eyes shut, letting the water lap around him, enjoying the solitude. He opens his eyes and sees the face of Michael Shaw looking down at him from the balcony above.



Michael, “Jesus, who gave you all those scars?”

David tries to casually turn and swim away. He gets out of the pool. He looks over and sees Michael coming towards him. His security guys get in the way.

Michael, “I’d like to speak to the king.”

David ignores him and grabs a towel.

Michael calls to David, “Shame about Caesar Reinhardt!”

David stops in his tracks. He clenches his fists and gives Michael a hateful glare.

Michael smirks, “Had any luck finding who killed him?”

David turns away.

Michael, “I’ll give you some help: it wasn’t us! It had to have been one of your men!”

David hurries away, seething. He gets into he elevator. Once alone, he grits his teeth, breathes heavily, and struggles to keep his composure.

  * Back in the room, Jessie luxuriates in a fluffy bath robe and bright pink facial mask, her hair in rollers.



David enters.

Jessie, “Have a good swim?”

David, “Yeah.”

Jessie takes a second look at him, “Doesn’t look like you did a whole lot of relaxing.”

David, “I’m tired. I’m gonna take a shower and then go to bed.”

Jessie, “All right. I’ll be in bed soon, too.”

  * Pitch blackness. Jessie’s soft voice, “…David?” a short pause, and then louder, “David!”



David jerks awake, a single lamp illuminating the hotel room.

Jessie stands over him, a look of concern over her face, “Are you all right?”

David, still somewhat disoriented, “What?”

Jessie, “You were making noises. It sounded like a bad dream.”

David lets out a sigh, “Oh,” he sinks into his pillows, slightly relieved, “Yeah, um, I kind of have those every once and a while. It’s nothing. Just go back to sleep. I’ll be fine.”

Jessie, “Are you sure?”

David, “Yeah. I’m sorry I woke you up. I… I haven’t had bad dreams in a while, but… I guess I’ve been kind of stressed. They tend to come back when that happens.”

Jessie, “Was it about Jack again?”

David, “No. I…” he thinks for a moment, “I don’t remember what it was about, actually.”

Jessie, “Are you sure you’re all right, baby? Can I get you anything?”

David, “I’m fine. I’ll get myself a sleeping pill, fall right back asleep. I can give you one if you need it.”

Jessie, “I’ll be all right. I’m just worried about you.”

David, “I just have bad dreams sometimes.”

  * The next morning, in the residence, Michelle threatens Jack, “I may be a foot shorter than you, but I’ve been doing cardio and I will drag your ass downstairs!”



Jack, whining, “Whyyyyy?”

Michelle, “David says you have to. He said you need to talk to some new people.”

Jack, “I can’t talk.”

Michelle, “Yes you can.”

Jack rolls his eyes.

Michelle, “Hey, if you do this and it sucks, that’ll just give you a reason to say no next time David tries to get you to do something stupid.”

Jack crosses his arms and stubbornly remains sitting on the sofa.

Michelle, “Ugh, I can’t believe you’re making me do this.” She goes over, grabs his wheelchair, and parks it beside the sofa. She goes over to Jack and starts to hoist him upwards, “Come on, get up!”

Unhappily, Jack goes along as she moves him into the wheelchair.

Michelle, “And you know you’re supposed to be walking everywhere now. If your recovery halts because you’re being a fucking asshole, I’m going to laugh at you.”

Jack raises his middle fingers, “Push me, bitch.”

Michelle pushes Jack out the door, “How the hell does someone who can’t fucking talk manage to complain so much?”

Jack, “I’m talented.”

  * In the hotel lobby, the gathered royals all wait to leave. Jessie happily chats with Queens Caroline and Gloria while David keeps a wary eye on the Shaws. Gerald talks to King Lawrence, occasionally casting conspiratorial glances at David, who pretends to be minding his own business. Michael and Fredrick stand with their wives, talking and snickering. Princesses Iris and Tabitha approach David. Abby is wearing a grey dress with narrow cap sleeves.



Iris, “We’re so glad you were able to make it!”

David, still keeping an eye on the Gath party, “Hi.”

An Ammon handler approaches Abby, “Pardon me, Miss Hatch?”

Abby, “It’s Ms. Benjamin-Hatch.”

Handler, “Yes, I’m afraid there’s a bit of a problem with your dress. You see, women in Ammon are expected to adhere to a standard of modesty-”

Abby, “This is modest.”

Handler, “It doesn’t have sleeves. Your dress needs sleeves.”

Abby, “What? Yes, it has sleeves. I’m a lesbian in a dress, is that not enough for you people?”

Handler, “Sleeves must entirely cover the shoulder, and the neckline of the dress must cover the collarbone.”

Abby, “Queen Caroline is wearing a boatneck.”

Aide, “The standards are allowed to be relaxed somewhat for royalty.”

Abby, “So? I am royalty. I’m married to a princess.”

Handler, “You refused a title.”

Abby snaps, “David!”

David turns around, “What?”

Abby, “I changed my mind, I’m gonna accept that royal title.”

David, “What?”

Abby, “I need a title so I can be royalty so I can get this fuckwad to leave me alone. Tell him I’m Duchess Abigail.”

David, “Fine. You’re Duchess Abigail.”

Abby looks at the handler, “There. I’m titled.”

David, “Is something wrong?”

Handler, “Miss Hatch’s dress doesn’t fit our standards of modesty.”

David, “It’s Ms. Benjamin-Hatch.”

Abby, her voice rising, “I didn’t bring anything else!”

Handler, “You need to change.”

Abby, “That’s bullshit!”

Iris intervenes, “I can help.”

Handler, “Miss Hatch-”

Abby, “MS. BENJAMIN-HATCH! It is not that fucking hard!”

Handler, “you need a new dress.”

Iris, staying calm, “I have another dress you can wear. It should fit fine.”

Abby looks at David for help. He shrugs helplessly.

Iris, “We’ll change and be right back.” She discreetly leads Abby away.

Abby, still seething, mutters, “This is because I’m fucking gay.”

Iris, “I know.”

  * Downstairs, the speech loss group is mostly old people with aphasia and their care-takers. Jack shoots Michelle a look.



Michelle, “Shut the fuck up.”

Behind them, a female voice says, “Look, there’s someone else in an AFG jacket.” Michelle turns around, and sees a brother and sister, Amanda and Gus, both wearing AFG jackets.

Amanda, “Oh shit. Well, I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who had to drag her brother here.”

Jack and Gus exchange looks.

Michelle laughs, “Hi. Is this your first time, too?”

Amanda, “Yep.”

Michelle, “You got a brain injury, too?”

Amanda, “Nope. Gus got shot in the throat.”

Michelle’s eyes widen with med student glee, “NO WAY,” she catches herself, “Oh, shit, sorry, I shouldn’t say that. I’m a med student. My professors are always yelling at me not to say ‘Neat,’ when I’m examining patients.”

Jack rolls his eyes. Gus raises his chin and points to the scar.

Michelle gawks, “Woah!”

Amanda, “The bullet cauterized the jugular.”

Michelle, “Oooh, I’ve heard of that happening. That’s one of those things you hear about but like never see.”

In halting, awkward sign language, Gus says, “Thank you not say lucky.”

Amanda, “He says thank you for not calling him lucky.”

Michelle, “Oh, yeah, Jack hates being called lucky.”

Jack and Gus exchange understanding grins, grateful that someone else gets it.

Michelle, “Throat injuries will fuck you up.”

Amanda, “Yeah, Gus has to have all of his food pureed and his liquids thickened. I tried eating like that for a week, and,” she gives Gus a regretful look, “I’m sorry! I don’t understand how it works. If his food isn’t the exact right consistency, he chokes on it, but at the same time, he doesn’t have a gag reflex any more. Throats are weird.”

Michelle, “Jack doesn’t have a gag reflex, either, but that has nothing to do with his injury.”

Jack makes an exaggerated OH MY GOD backwards flop.

  * In an over-the-top evangelical-style megachurch, TV cameras and crewmen scramble to get into place. The thousands of seats are filled with ticket-buying patriotic well-wishers. The central aisle is lined with formally-dressed soldiers standing at attention. Everything is decked out in cascades of yellow roses. Abby, in a very un-Abby bright green striped dress, sits politely while David checks his phone.



Abby, “Put that fucking thing away or so help me god, I will break your fingers. The whole peace process depends on how well you behave yourself here, so don’t you dare do anything stupid.”

David, “I was just checking to make sure Jack made it to his group.”

Music starts to play. Wayne approaches the alter, Warner and Mae beam up at him. Skylyn Judd walks down the aisle in a yellow flower girl dress, followed by her brother, Gideon, the ringbearer. The bridesmaids, dressed in pale pink dresses, walk down the aisle with their military-clad groomsmen in cowboy boots.

David suppresses an incredulous look. The bridal march begins, and the bride, Hattie, wearing the biggest, poofiest modest princess wedding dress imaginable and a massive tiara bedecked with yellow diamonds, rides down the aisle on a white horse led by her father. Hattie is a classic Texas beauty queen: bottle blonde, spray tan, too-white teeth. The soldiers salute as Hattie passes. The crowd goes fucking wild.

David and Abby glance at each other, and catch each other’s eye.

David, “What are they gonna do if the horse poops?”

Abby, “Then it’ll really be a shitty wedding.” They both dissolve into giggles. Jessie elbows David hard in the ribs and he straightens up.

  * At the pulpit, Warner speaks, and as he speaks, he signs so that Princess Grace can understand, “In the preparations for this wedding, I’ve found myself thinking of Adam. God created him first. He was given his own paradise, lord of all the plants and animals, but he was by himself. Loneliness is an awful thing. It can drive the strongest man mad, and make the most unthinkable things suddenly appealing.”



He glances at David, and David shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

Warner goes on, “Adam’s loneliness was such that it made paradise unbearable. And so from Adam’s rib, God created Eve. From the creation of Eve, comes the greatest gift that God has given us: love.” Sappy smiles from all around. Warner, “We honor God’s gift of love with the sacred covenant of marriage. What God has joined together, let no man tear asunder. There is no greater insult to God than when we dishonor his great gift with the sins of infidelity. When we betray our spouses, we betray God.” His eyes settle on David.

David glances around and notices Michael and Fredrick also glancing at him.

Warner goes on, “We honor God by repaying his gift of love: we create life for Him. We give Him our children. That is the only true way to honor God and to honor the gift of love.”

David looks over at Abby, and she rolls her eyes. David grins a little bit, heartened slightly, but he remains uneasy.

  * Amanda talks hesitantly to the group, “I- I feel bad when I talk about my needs. I mean, Gus is the one who got shot and… God, he was conscious through the whole thing. He had to hold his neck wound closed, and then let the medics start sticking all these tubes in-”



Michelle, “A Foley catheter. They balloon up and stop a punctured blood vessel from bleeding.”

Amanda, “I didn’t see him until we figured out he was in the hospital under a false name. When he didn’t check in, I- I thought he was dead. The only reason I didn’t list him dead was because nobody could verify that they’d seen his body.”

Michelle reaches over and puts her hand on Amanda’s.

Amanda, “Gus has been through so much I just feel like I’m not allowed to complain- I- I don’t even want to call it complaining, I’m happy to be the one taking care of him. It’s just that sometimes it gets really hard and I don’t know how to acknowledge that.” She sniffs and wipes tears from her eyes.

The group leader, “Perhaps you should just try finding the right words for how you feel. Would you say that sometimes you feel frustrated and overwhelmed?”

Amanda, “Yeah. That’s a good way of putting it.” Michelle looks around. Jack and Gus are missing.

Michelle, “Wait, where’s Jack and Gus?”

  * On a balcony, Jack and Gus sit in the sun without speaking, and pass a joint back and forth.



Jack blinks in the bright light and takes a deep hit. A satisfied smile appears over his face. Behind them, a door opens and Michelle and Amanda come out.

Michelle, “Oh for fuck’s sake!” She goes over to Jack and grabs the joint, “Is this where you’ve been?”

Jack, “Nice day.”

Michelle, “You’re supposed to be going to therapy!”

Gus, in a quiet, raspy, barely a whisper voice, “We have therapy.” He exchanges looks with Michelle and Amanda.

Amanda sighs, “At least you’ve made a friend.” She takes the joint from Michelle, sits down, and takes a hit. Michelle sits down, too, and Amanda passes her the joint.

Michelle takes a hit, “You know, just because you’re going through more shit the rest of us doesn’t mean we aren’t going through shit, too.”

Amanda, “Don’t bring it up. I just need to talk sometimes.”

Gus and Jack exchange looks.

  * Back at the wedding, Wayne and Hattie are finally exchanging vows.



Pastor, “Do you, Hattie, take Wayne to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”

Hattie, jubilant, “I do!”

Hattie’s mother wipes mascara from her streaming face.

Pastor, “Do you, Wayne, take Hattie to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”

Wayne, “I do!”

Pastor, “I hereby pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride!”

As Wayne and Hattie kiss, cannons full of yellow and white confetti and streamers go off behind them, as well as a bunch of white doves. The crowd roars with elation.

A worship band plays, “Praise the lord! Praise the lord!” The sudden sound of the music causes the doves to poop. David has to step away to avoid getting hit.

  * Back on the balcony, Michelle stands up, “Would you two like a tour of the palace?”



Amanda, “What? That would be amazing!”

Jack, “I’m good here.”

Michelle looks at Gus.

Gus signs, “I’m good.”

Michelle leads Amanda away, “Come on. I’ll show you where David keeps his socks.”

They go inside. Gus and Jack sit peacefully looking up at the sky. Jack sighs and closes his eyes, deep in thought. He glances over at Gus and concentrates on what he wants to say, “Do you… talking… try it?” He falters slightly at the end, embarrassed.

Gus replies in sign language, “I’m learning sign.”

Jack, “I should try that.”

Gus, speaking, “I also write.” Jack leans back in his seat, and they sit in silence for a long moment.

Jack, “Do you get angry?”

Gus, “Constantly.”

  * At the luncheon, David sits with Jessie and Abby, everyone dressed in evening attire.



Jessie, “It was really a nice ceremony, you know.”

David, “It was tacky.”

Jessie, “You’re just being cynical.”

David, “If I don’t have something to laugh at here, I’m gonna start screaming.”

Abby, “We’ll be on the plane back to Shiloh first thing tomorrow morning, don’t worry.”

A waiter, Eddie, arrives and serves plates of salad, “A crisp romaine and lemon vinaigrette salad.”

David, “Thanks.”

Eddie leaves.

David picks up a fork to eat, and then notices a small piece of paper underneath his plate. He picks it up and opens it: We need your help. Go to the kitchen. He looks around for Eddie, but doesn’t see him.

He turns to Abby, and in a low voice says, “Look at this.” He shows her the note.

Abby, harshly, “Put that away right now!”

David stashes it in his pocket, “I’m gonna go.”

Abby, “Do not go there without security.”

David, “Yeah, I think I know that by now. What do you think it could be?”

Abby, hesitant, “I don’t know, but… It’s probably something that could seriously fuck up the peace process.”

David, “I can’t just ignore someone asking for help.”

Abby, “Then go, then, but send a security guy first.” David turns around and discretely signals for one of his bodyguards. He shows the bodyguard the note, who then nods and heads towards the kitchen.

  * In the kitchen, five people, including Eddie, wait nervously. The door swings open and David enters.



Eddie steps forward, “Thank you for coming.”

David, nervously, “What do you need?”

Eddie, “We need to get out of Ammon. Please, bring us back to Gilboa with you.”

David, “I- I’m not sure if I can do that-”

Eddie, “Our lives depend on it. Ida and Desiree both get beaten by their husbands but can’t get a divorce. Maria is trans but can’t transition. Julian and I want to get married, but if we get found out, we’ll be separated. Julian has five months until he turns thirty- five months until he’s forced to marry a woman.”

David looks at them in dismay, “I- I… I have to talk to my minister of state about this.” He hurries out of the kitchen and back to the table.

Abby, “What was that?”

David, “There’s five people in the kitchen who want to defect to Gilboa.”

Abby, “First of all, calm down. You do not want to look like you’re panicking at a wedding. Secondly, we can’t take them. It’ll fuck everything up.”

David, “I know! What am I supposed to tell them?”

Abby, “The truth. Tell them that accepting defectors will cause Ammon to reinstate hostilities against Gilboa.”

David looks around in anguish.

Abby, “Go back and tell them. When you get back, we’ll say there’s a situation in Gilboa that you have to attend to, and leave.”

David, “There has to be some way. Some sneaky under-the-radar way like we used to do with the AFG.”

Abby, “We had drug dealers helping us with the AFG. Besides, the realities of running a rebel army and running a nation are very different. The consequences are different.”

David, “There’s gotta be something. I’ll think of something.”

  * At the evening reception, Hattie happily dances with Wayne. Everyone is dressed in their finest evening wear. The Judds look on. Warner and Mae beam with pride. Wayne doesn’t pay any attention to his new bride, instead looking out at the people in the crowd. He sees David texting on his phone, and swallows his contempt.



Later, Jessie happily chats with Mae and coos over the youngest Judd, Prince Bronson. David still focuses on his phone while Abby sits next to him.

Abby, “Oh my god, you can’t just stay on your phone all night. You might as well have a giant sign that says, ‘I’m up to something.’”

David, “I’m trying to save some lives, all right?”

An aide comes up to them, “I beg your pardon, your majesty.”

David looks up, “Yes?”

Aide, “Prince Wayne has requested to speak with you privately.”

David, “Goddamnit.” Abby rolls her eyes.

Aide, “Will you speak with him, sir?”

David puts his phone in his pocket, “Yeah, yeah, just show me where.” He stands up and the aide leads him away. As he follows, he’s led past the table where the Shaws are seated. Michael and Fredrick are both looking at something on a phone, and they cast mocking sneers as David passes. Gerald barely hides a condescending smirk. David looks away. The aide leads him out of the ballroom and to a private room. He holds the door open, and David enters. Wayne sits waiting for him.

David, “You wanted to talk to me?”

Wayne gives him a smirk, “I did. Seeing as how you’re the King of Gilboa and I’m gonna be the king of Ammon, I thought I should get to know you a little bit.”

David, “Well, here I am. I've only been married for a few months, so I don’t know if I can give you a whole lot of marriage advice, but, I can tell you that my marriage to Jack brings me immense joy. I can only hope that your marriage does the same.”

Wayne, “Cut the diplomatic bullshit, I know you don't mean it."

David sighs with annoyance, “I meant what I said about Jack.”

Wayne, “You know, I always thought it’d be Jack I’d fight against one day. You kind of changed that.”

David, “Are… are you saying you already intend to go to war with me?”

Wayne, “I’m just being realistic. Carmel, is, after all, Ammon territory.”

David, “Jesus, this again. I don’t know if you’re aware, but fighting a war fucking sucks.”

Wayne, “Don’t you dare condescend to me, Shepherd. I know what war is like. My father fought for his crown just like you did. As soon as I could walk, I was a soldier of Christ. I grew up sleeping in tents in rebel camps. I didn’t have a settled home until I was ten years old.”

David, “Okay. Is there anything you actually want to know about me, or can I go back to my seat now?”

Wayne, “You think you’re so much better than everyone else, don’t you?”

David, “Pardon?”

Wayne, “I saw you laughing during the ceremony.”

David, “Well, you have to admit, the horse was a bit much.”

Wayne sneers at him, “No man is an island, David.”

David, “What?”

Wayne, “The good and the evil you put out into the world comes back to you. Heathens call it karma.”

David, “Look, I’m sorry for being rude, but I have to laugh so I don’t think too much about how fucking twisted it is that your father is up there talking about the sacredness of love while at the same time his government forces people into marriage.”

Wayne, “You have no room to lecture other people about morality.”

David, annoyed, “What the hell are you talking about?”

Wayne, “You’ll see soon enough."

David, seriously annoyed, “Is there anything else you want?”

Wayne grows more serious, and thinks for a moment, “What happened to Vesper Abbadon’s children?”

David, “I can’t tell you. I made an agreement with them to keep them anonymous.”

The tiniest smile flickers on Wayne’s face, “So they’re still alive.”

David, realizing he’s inadvertently given some information away, “Yeah.”

An odd, nostalgic but forlorn look comes over Wayne’s face, but then vanishes, “I always thought I’d marry Mercy Abbadon. She was so pretty.”

David, “Still is.”

Wayne gives David a furious look, “You can leave now.”

David, “Congratulations on your wedding.” He turns around and leaves.

Back in the ballroom, he passes the Shaws once again, Michael and Fredrick still snickering and watching him. David goes back to the table. Abby looks at her phone, eyebrows knit tight in deep concern.

David sits down, leans in and says to Abby, “Fuck it. Wayne says he’s already thinking about war. We might as well get those people out.”

Abby doesn’t say anything.

David reaches for his phone, “Who should I call, anyway, can I just bring them to the airport in our limo or something?”

Abby looks up, “What?”

David, “I’m bringing the defectors back.”

Abby, “No you’re not.”

David, “I’m the fucking king and I say we’re bringing them back!”

Abby, “Oh my god, David.” She shows him her phone. David looks at it, and his face turns to horror and confusion. On the phone, an OMGossip page with the title King David: A CHEATER AND A LIAR. Below the headline is a photograph of Beth.

Abby, “I don’t know how, they found her medical records proving she had an abortion.”

David looks up, sick but trying to stay calm. He sees Michael and Fredrick laughing. Other people look at their phones. At the Edom table, Lawrence and Quentin both look at a phone. Lawrence looks at David, utter disgust on his face. Rose comes hurrying up to David, biting back her fury.

Rose, “We need to leave.”

David, weakly, “There’s this group of defectors-”

Rose, “Now is not the time for your hero bullshit, David, we need to get back to Shiloh right now!”

David sits and thinks for a moment, coming to the slow, anguished realization that there’s nothing he can do. Numbly, he gets up.

Eddie the waiter approaches the table, “Is there anything else you need, your majesty?”

David looks at him, dumbstruck, “I-I can’t help you. I’m sorry. I have to get going.”

Eddie swallows his sadness and disappointment, “That’s quite fine, sir. I’m glad everything is to your liking.” He goes away, and David watches.

  * David, Abby, and Jessie leave the ballroom.



Jessie, “Did they find who killed Reinhardt?”

David, “What? No.”

Jessie, “You said there’s something in Gilboa you need to tend to.”

David, “Look, Mom, I’ll explain it to you in the car, but, when Jack and I were separated, there was this girl, and-”

Jessie, “And what?”

David, “I did something really fucking stupid.”

They go into the lobby. By the door, two of the women from the group cry and console each other. David sees them, and he tries to pretend that he doesn’t see them staring at him. In their hotel room, employees help Jessie with the luggage.

Jessie, “Is there anything else?”

David, “No, we’re good.”

Jessie, “Okay.”

David, “You go on ahead. I- I need a moment.”

Jessie, “Okay, we’ll wait for you.”

Everyone clears the room. David stares at the door for a moment, then looks around the room, thinking. He sits down on the bed, and thinks intensely for a long minute. Slowly, his emotions overcome him, and tears of rage fill his eyes. He shoves his face down into a pillow and screams.


	58. S6, E9: Judgement Day, Again

**9\. “Judgement Day, Again”**

Early in the morning, Adam goes through his morning routine. His apartment is clean, orderly, and spartan. Adam puts on his AFG uniform, which he keeps neat and pristine. He carefully buttons up his shirt and ties his tie. He puts his jacket on and carefully arranges the new medals and commendations. He wears his uniform with pride, everything about his appearance is careful and neat. He goes over to a desk. Sitting on there is a piece of paper, PETITION FOR JUDGEMENT, an open envelope next to it. Adam picks up the paper and stares at it for a moment, looking it over, carefully considering what he’s about to do. Finally, he folds it into thirds. He takes the envelope and puts the petition into it.

  * Crowds fill the lobby of the palace. Almost everyone holds a white envelope. Lines of people submit petitions to workers at desks. Adam enters. He looks around at the overwhelming and intimidating crowd. He looks down at the petition in his hand, takes a deep breath, and then takes his place in line.



Elsewhere in the palace, Andrew yells at a security guard, “I’m filing a petition for judgement! It's my right as a citizen of Gilboa!”

Guard, “You're still banned from the palace grounds. A substitute will have to file the petition for you.”

Adam stands patiently at his place in line. A commotion to his side, the security guard leads Andrew out of the palace.

Andrew spots Adam and grins, “Filing a petition?” The guard leads him past, and Adam doesn’t say anything.

  * Joel stands next to a basket full of petitions, while the crowds below him wait eagerly, Adam among them.



Outside, Andrew watches it all on his phone.

Joel is halfway through pulling out names, and pulls out another one, “Gladwin.”

Below him, someone cries, “Yes!”

Joel pulls another case, “Alscher.” Below, a man tears up with gratefulness.

Joel sighs warily, but carries on, “Kaparty,” More people celebrate down below.

Joel, "And the final case…”

Adam tenses up.

Joel pulls out a case, “Ghiel.”

Adam’s shoulders droop.

Joel, “Those are the petitions that will be seen by King David today. One of the selected individuals may give their slot over to another case. Unless that happens, the selection is final.” He leaves the balcony.

Adam stands there, feeling kind of stupid.

  * David gets ready while Jack lays on the bed behind him.



David, “I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I mean, it's mostly just using common sense, right?”

Jack rubs his eyes and groans softly.

David turns to look at him, “You okay?”

Jack, “Mf. Head.”

David, “Shit, do you need anything?”

Jack, “No.”

David softens his voice, "Do you think it’ll go away by the time Judgement Day gets going?”

Jack makes a soft non-committal noise.

David, “That’s fine. Seriously, don't worry about it. I’ll make sure someone comes up here to stay with you. Is… is Michelle gonna be here today?”

Jack, “School.”

David, “Shit. I know Mom wanted to watch my first Judgement Day, but she can watch it on TV up here. You take it easy and don't worry about anything, okay?”

Jack, “Okay.” David goes over and sits down next to Jack. They don’t say anything for a moment.

David, “Listen, um, when this is over… I- I’m hoping I can get some time with you up at the cabin. Just a few days, not long. We've had a hard time, and we deserve it.”

Jack, “Okay.” More awkward silence.

David, “I- I know you're mad at me."

Jack, quickly, “I'm not.”

David, “I fucked up and you deserve to be mad.”

Jack lays back on the bed, shutting his eyes, “My head hurts.”

David, “When it happened- it was right after Robert was killed. I mean the night of. I was lost and angry and alone and Beth- she was there.”

Jack angrily opens his eyes, “Shut up.”

David, “I know it’s not an excuse, I-”

Jack, “ _Shut up!_ ”

David, “Do- do you still forgive me?”

Jack thinks for a moment, “I do. But I’m angry.”

  * David goes out into the crowded council chamber. Everyone stands and applauds. David looks out, feeling very overwhelmed. He sees Adam standing up with the other petitioners. He sits, and the applause stops. Everyone sits and stares at him.



David, “I had a speech ready, but I think it’s best if I just get this going,” He sighs deeply, “Bring on the first case.”

On an upper balcony, Adam watches a divorcing couple argue.

His phone buzzes, and he takes it out and looks at it: “ANDREW CROSS: Borgia’s, 1:00. I will pay.”

Adam glances back down at the arguing couple. He texts back, “See you then.”

  * On the other side of the balcony, Rose and Thomasina watch as a couple, Karen and Chet, argue in front of David.



Karen, “He dragged me through hell for years, I deserve compensation!”

Chet, “That’s what the alimony is for!”

David struggles to get a word in edgewise, but Karen keeps screaming, “I need more!”

Rose murmurs to Thomasina, “He’s let this drag on too long. Couples like this can go on for hours.”

Thomasina, “He’s still new at this. He’ll catch on, though.”

Behind them, Jessie enters the chamber, and looks around, concerned. She spots Thomasina and hurries over, “I need to speak to David!”

Thomasina, “He’s busy.”

Jessie, “Something happened!”

Rose, “Is it Jack?”

Jessie, “No, I need to talk to David!”

Below them, David finally says, “That’s enough!”

Karen and Chet both look at him.

David, “To be perfectly honest, I’m having a very hard time feeling sorry for either of you. As for the property in dispute, judging from the amount of lawyer’s fees you two must be going through, you’re both seem to be doing just fine without it. Having nothing teaches you what you truly need, and I say that from personal experience. Neither of you are going to have access to the property until you can come to a mutual agreement over who gets what. As far of the alimony, the prenuptial agreement you signed was very clear. I don’t see any reason to increase the alimony.”

Chet laughs.

Karen scoffs, “Of course a cheater is going to side with a cheater.”

David, trying to hide the sting of the insult, “This case is dismissed!”

Chet and Karen look at each other and immediately begin exchanging threats and insults.

Thomasina comes up quickly behind David, “Sir, a situation has come up that you need to attend to.”

David, “Now? Can somebody else do it?”

Thomasina, “You’ll want to be the one who handles this.”

  * Arthur stands beside his minivan at a rest stop, talking on his cell phone. In the van, Margaret tries to hush a crying Noah while the other kids sit quietly in the back seat.



Arthur, “The fucking Phils kicked us off the farm!”

Back at the palace, David is on the other end, “What?”

Arthur, “I dunno what’s going on, but three hours ago, we got a knock on the door and some officer telling us we had an hour to pack our things, the army was taking over the farm.”

David, “Where are you now?”

Arthur, “Rest stop outside of Bethlehem. There’s other families have been kicked off their farms, I dunno what’s happening.”

David, “Jesus, of course they'd fucking do this today.”

Arthur, “What?”

David, “Nothing. Listen, just- first of all, get to Shiloh. I want to make sure you all are safe before we do anything else.”

Arthur, “Are you sure they’ll let us across the border?”

David, “I’ll send the fuckin’ army to escort you if I have to, okay? We’ll set you up here in the palace. I’ll get some people on it right away so everything will be ready when you arrive.”

Arthur, “What about the farm, David?”

David, “It doesn’t matter right now, I just need you to be safe!”

Arthur, “All right, we’ll be there as soon as we can. I’ll call you if there’s any trouble.”

David, “All right. Be careful.” He hangs up, “Fuck!” He turns to Thomasina, “Get Abby on this, and- does Mom know what's going on?”

Thomasina, “She’s the one who told me.”

David sighs, “Put her in charge of getting things ready, she’ll get it all done… oh, fuck, is anybody with Jack?”

Thomasina, “I already have someone coming in.”

David, “Shit, you’re good at this.”

Thomasina, “You still have cases to judge.”

  * Adam enters a fancy-looking lunch bistro. A waitress approaches him, “Captain Solano?”



Adam, surprised, “Yes.”

Waitress, “Mr. Cross is waiting for you.” She leads him to a table.

Andrew grins at him as he approaches, “I’m glad you came, Captain.”

Adam sits down, "Hey, it's free lunch."

Andrew, “I was very surprised to see you submitting a petition this morning. Shame you didn't get drawn.”

Adam, "Figured I'd take my chances.”

Andrew, “What were you petitioning for?”

Adam looks at the menu and sighs, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Andrew, “You know, I can get you a hearing.”

Adam, “I’m not messing around with bribes.”

Andrew, “You don’t need a bribe, just a good lawyer.”

Adam, “Can I just enjoy my lunch?” He looks at a menu.

Andrew, “I was trying to make a petition to get myself and OMGossip allowed back into the palace.”

Adam, “Why would you want to go back there, anyway?”

Andrew, “It’s the principal of the thing. As the owner of a news outlet, I should be allowed access to the political power that I’m reporting on.”

Adam, “You got the shit beat out of you. You could’ve had a field day with that story.”

Andrew, “David has a skill for weaving shit into gold. If I made a fuss about it, he’d find a way to come out the hero.”

Adam, “You’re embarrassed.”

Andrew, “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Adam, “What is it with you and David, anyway? Is this some long game to become king?”

Andrew, “No. Absolutely not. My father was the one obsessed with being king. He died trying to be king, just like Caesar Reinhardt did! Jack had the crown in his hands and he threw it away! You have to be a madman to want to be king.”

Adam, “If you don’t want to be king, why do you keep going after David?”

Andrew, “Inquisitive, aren’t you? You should be one of my investigators.”

Adam, “If I were you, and I didn’t want to be king the way you insist you don’t, I’d take all that money you have and fuck off somewhere far away from Gilboa.”

Andrew, “It’s called banishment, and I did that already.”

Adam, “Did you really call Jack and Michelle Benjamin trash?”

Andrew looks at Adam, taken aback.

Adam, “I always heard that you stood up to King Silas and told him he has no business being king. And then Jack and Michelle said that you made some off-hand comment. _Typical Benjamin trash_.”

Andrew, “I was just repeating an insult I frequently heard my father say.”

Adam, “Huh,” he thinks for a moment, “If you don’t mind me asking, how did your father die?”

Andrew, “I don’t know. He was shot and his house was burned down. Alek Amal claimed responsibility for it.”

Adam, “Did you stop wanting to be like your father before or after his death?”

Andrew, “That is a very personal question.”

Adam, “You asked me a personal question.”

Andrew, “So what is your petition?”

Adam, “It’s nothing. Something completely foolish that I’m glad didn’t get picked. I would tell you, but I honestly don’t think you care much about the truth. You just like hurting people so you can feel powerful again.”

Andrew, “But here you are, having lunch with me.”

Adam, “I submitted my petition because I have questions to ask. Questions that I want people to hear. But I don’t think OMGossip is the right place to ask them.”

  * Back in his place at in the council chamber, David listens to an exhausting back-and-forth of corporate jargon.



He looks at his watch and then says, “This has been going on for two hours. These cases are only supposed to last one hour at the most, and I honestly still can’t make heads or tails of what this case is about.”

Up in the balcony, Rose shakes her head.

Lawyer, “We’re asking for a clarification in the law regarding frozen assets…”

David, “And I want it to be clarified in a way that's not going to screw a bunch of people over! It’s frustrating, but this sort of thing needs to be looked at carefully and with plenty of consideration. So I'm going to have this case looked at later, by a judge who knows more about this sort of thing than I do. This case is dismissed!"

Up in the balcony, Rose mutters to Joel, “Silas never said I don't know!”

Joel, “David does things very differently than Silas.”

Rose, "All of his critics are going to call him inexperienced, ignorant and incompetent!”

Joel, "They already call him that.”

David, “Okay, next case, The Gilboan Association for Journalistic Freedom.”

A woman in a sharp grey suit steps forward, followed by a lawyer.

The lawyer steps up to the podium, “Good afternoon, your majesty. Today, I am representing Ms. Barbara Helm.”

David, “I’m actually familiar with Ms. Helms’s work for The Shiloh Sentinel. I’m also aware that there’s been a serious backlog in getting documents related to King Silas’s rule available to the public as they should be, but that is because these documents need to be reviewed for reasons related to national security. I’ll have your request expedited.”

Ms. Helms, “Thank you, sir, but that isn’t what brings me here today.”

David, “Which is?”

Ms. Helms, “I recently left my position at the Sentinel to work for a new publication. I cannot continue to do my investigative work because this publication has been banned from palace grounds.”

David sinks back into his chair, realizing he’s been duped.

Ms. Helms, “I work for OMGossip.”

David, “And if you worked for any other publication in the world, I’d gladly allow you onto palace grounds, but OMGossip is an online tabloid that runs cheap stories that invades the privacy of me and my husband and seeks to humiliate us!”

Lawyer, “OMGossip is currently undergoing a re-branding to focus on quality investigative journalism.”

David, “This re-branding is about Andrew Cross's need for petty revenge after Jack took CrossGen from him.”

Lawyer, “Mr. Cross is uniquely aware of the perils of totalitarianism after his banishment.”

David, “He partied around Europe for five years, while Jack and I both fought in the army!”

Up in the balcony, Thomasina leads Arthur in. They both look down at the scene.

Thomasina, "You'll have to wait a little bit.”

David goes on, “Look, I don’t care if my life gets looked into. I don't keep secrets. But I will do everything I can to make sure that Jack is safely able to make what is already an extremely difficult recovery from a devastating injury.”

Ms. Helms, “Except you do keep secrets, sir.”

David, “What?”

Helms, “Was your relationship with Beth Sabbatino not a secret? A secret that was uncovered by OMGossip?”

David, “Okay, that is the only time in my life that I have ever kept a secret.”

Helms, "And it's my job as a journalist to ensure that you keep your word.”

David, “You can do it at any other news outlet, just not OMGossip.”

Helms, “OMGossip is the only news outlet willing to serve the people. Every other news outlet in Gilboa is still operating under the same fear they held under King Silas. They're afraid of being banned from the press corps.”

David, “The people are not served by pictures of Jack hooked up to a respirator! I am not afraid of being investigated, but I will stop at nothing to protect my husband from Andrew Cross's malicious, personal agenda! Petition denied, and case dismissed!”

David slumps back in his chair, and Thomasina approaches him, “Your brother is here, sir.”

  * David goes into a backstage area, where Arthur waits for him.



David greets him with a hug, “Oh my god, are you okay?"

Arthur, "Yeah, we're all here, safe, no problems. We’re all set up in the guest quarters.”

David, “What’s going on?”

Arthur, “I don’t know, the Phils just showed up and said something about emergency measures and gave us an hour to pack our things and leave. I know there’s a few other families that got kicked off their land, too.”

David, “Don’t worry about anything, I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”

Arthur, “I’ll try to find another place to stay as quickly as I can.”

David, “No, seriously, don’t worry about anything! What’s the point in having a palace if my family can't stay here?”

His eyes glance over to a TV screens with a talking head on it, “This is just another example of King David trying to suppress the free press he supposedly supports! Is he guarding more secrets? No publication should be blocked from investigating!”

David turns back to Arthur, “I’m sorry, man. I’m guessing Gerald chose today to do this because he knew I’d be wrapped up with this.”

Arthur, “You- you mean Premiere Shaw?”

David, “Yeah, he does this sort of thing, I- can I talk to you later? I’ve got king shit to do.”

Arthur, “Yeah, of course, I just…” he shakes his head, “You’re still my baby brother, man. I’m still trying to get used to seeing you as king.”

David, “You aren’t the only one.”

  * Late in the day, sunset. Adam gets out of a cab in front of the palace. He walks to the center of the courtyard and stares up at the imposing building. He breathes deeply, contemplating what to do next. Finally, he steps forward.



  * Adam walks down a hallway. He comes to a door with a guard outside it.



He asks the guard, “Is this the room where the petitioners are?”

Guard, “Yes, sir.”

Adam opens the door and goes into the room. Four people of the original petitioners remain: two professionally-dressed women, and a rangy, fidgety guy in his 20s.

Adam, “Are you all the remaining petitioners?”

Rangy guy, “You’re Solano.”

Adam, “Captain Adam Solano, yes.”

Rangy guy, “Shepherd’s favorite pet. What they send you here for?”

Adam, “I decided on my own to come here. I know that with the three cases left, none of you are likely to be willing to hand your case over-”

Rangy guy, “I knew you’d send someone to try to stop me. No way. I’m gonna blow Gilboa wide open with what I have.”

Adam, “I’m not trying to stop anyone. I know you all must feel that your petitions are very important, but I have a petition of my own, and I’d like to ask one of you to please give me your spot.”

One of the women speaks up, “Now? Where were you this morning?”

Adam, “Wondering if I’d be brave enough to follow through with my petition, even if I were chosen.”

Woman, “Didn’t you do something? Something when Nob was raided?”

Adam, “Saved a van full of my fellow AFG soldiers from being stopped at an army checkpoint. I’m asking for your slot because I’d like to ruin my relationship with those friends and with King David, ruin my career, and probably ruin my life.”

  * The sun is going down outside, David is on the second-to-last case of the day, “Okay. Alex Kaparty. You’re up.”



Kaparty swaggers into the room and takes his place in front of David, “I have evidence of a crime that will shake Gilboa to its core.”

David raises an eyebrow in curiosity, “Okay. So what is it?”

Kaparty, “The elites of the new government have been running and hiding a massive pedophile ring.”

David, flatly, “What?”

Kaparty, “As a teenager Prince Jack was lured into this ring by Reginald Carmichael, and now he’s in charge of it. King Silas discovered it, and that’s why he was overthrown!”

David, “I’m not going to sit here and listen to some ridiculous conspiracy theory! This case is dismissed, now!”

Kaparty, “You’re afraid of the truth!”

David, “Get out of here, now, or I will have security take you away!”

Kaparty, “This is all a front for legalized pedophilia!” Security guys approach him.

David, “If I were trying to legalize pedophilia, I would have done that already!” he becomes totally furious, “You know I could have helped someone, someone with a real problem, but hearing their case today, but you had to go and waste my time and everyone else’s time with this nonsense! Get him out of here!” The security guys take Kaparty away while David fumes.

David takes a deep breath and re-composes himself, “I apologize for losing my temper. On to the final case…” he looks at his list, “Ghiel. You’re up.”

The well-dressed woman from earlier steps up, “Thank you, Your Majesty. I currently have an ongoing dispute with my former business partner, which we were both hoping you could settle.”

David, “Okay. What is it?”

Ghiel, “However, today, we came to an agreement, and we’d both like to give our slot over to a more deserving case, that of Captain Adam Solano.”

David leans back into his chair uneasily. He glances up at Rose, who looks back down at him, just as puzzled.

David, “Well… if you’ve settled… I guess I should hear the other case.”

Ghiel, “Thank you very much, Your Majesty.” She leaves her spot.

Nervously, Adam approaches, “Good evening, Your Majesty.”

David, “Good evening, Captain Solano. Before I begin… You are aware that as a member of my staff, this creates a very large conflict of interest for me, right?”

Adam, “Yes, I am aware.”

David, “Are you sure you wish to continue?”

Adam nods, “I do.”

David, “Okay. So go on.”

Adam thinks for a moment, and then takes a very deep breath, “This… this is hard for me to do. I know that this could cost me very dearly, but… I- I’d like to file a wrongful death suit on behalf of Ryan Hitt.”

David, “Ryan? He died in combat that he willingly went into. Every soldier in the AFG, including you, took an oath to lay down your lives.”

Adam, “Ryan’s death was unnecessary. I saw it happen. I have replayed it over and over and over in my head, I can’t stop replaying it. I have the most awful nightmares where I relive it. The enemy was in retreat. It may have taken longer, but we could have taken that hallway without any dramatic moves. Joel Bronikov gave an unnecessary order that sent Ryan Hitt directly into enemy fire with no way of surviving. And I believe he did it on purpose.”

David, “Joel would never kill one of his own men. Why would he even do that?”

Adam, “Because you were sleeping with Ryan’s girlfriend, and Ryan didn’t know.”

Shocked silence from the crowd. Joel sits stock still in his seat, staring at David.

Adam carefully goes on, “After it happened, I couldn’t shake this feeling that something was off, something just wasn’t right. I saw you talking to Beth and I had these suspicions that maybe you two were up to something, but I thought no, you’d never do that. You’re an honest person, a good leader. You told me my grief was making me think crazy things. I tried to believe that. I kept telling myself that. I didn’t want what I suspected to be true. And then the story came out, you were sleeping with Beth. I was right. If I was right about that, what else could I be right about? If I may, I’d like to ask Minister Bronikov some questions.”

David looks over at Joel. Joel thinks for a moment, and then nods.

David, softly, “Okay. I’ll allow it. Minister Bronikov, would you please come be questioned?”

Joel stands, and goes to stand beside Adam.

Adam, “Did you send Ryan out on purpose?”

Joel looks up at David, not flinching, “No. I whole-heartedly deny these accusations. Ryan Hitt was a valued AFG fighter. Our forward advance had stalled, and the longer we took to take that building, the more opportunity the Gilboan army had to send reinforcements to take us out. I ordered Hitt to go forward and take out the remaining soldiers, and he did so gallantly. Lives were saved by his sacrifice.”

Adam, “Did you know about David and Beth?”

David stares hard into Joel’s eyes. He swallows his terror while Joel retains an icy front.

Finally, Joel says, “No.”

Adam, “I don’t believe you.”

Joel, “I knew nothing of David’s affair with Miss Sabbatino.”

David, sheepish, embarrassed “It wasn’t an _affair_ …”

Adam, “You were sleeping with Beth, and then Ryan _died_. I know what I experienced, I know what I saw, and I know Ryan Hitt did not have to die that night. I don’t want to be right about this, but I know I am. Please tell me that I’m right.”

David’s mind races. He stares down at the desk in front of him. He knows full well that Joel is lying. He looks at Joel.

David, “If this is true, Minister Bronikov would have committed a horrible crime. He would be stripped of his rank and honors, and put in front of a tribunal…” He falters. The weight of the decision he’s about to make weighs heavily on him. He glances from Joel to Adam.

Finally, he says, “But I believe him. Ryan Hitt’s death was a regular combat death.”

Adam blinks, still processing this. Joel breathes a sigh of relief. Adam’s confusion turns to hurt; he stares at David.

David, pityingly, “I’m sorry, Adam. This case is dismissed.”

Adam’s hurt turns to disgust. He turns and hurries out of the chamber. Onlookers furiously text and gossip about what they just witnessed. For a moment, David almost raises out of his seat, but then immediately sits himself back down. He’s made a decision, he has to stick to it. Joel stands patiently in his place.

David, still dazed, “Everything is over. Good night, everyone!” He stands and hurries towards the door. As he passes Joel, he says, “We need to talk!”

They go into a small, private area where they won’t be seen or heard. David, “Joel, what the fuck?!”

Joel, “I only did what you told me to do.”

Dread washes over David’s face, and he panics. Go finds a security guy and says, “Can you have someone stop Adam from leaving? I need to talk to him!”

  * Adam waits unhappily in a private room downstairs, two guards watching him. David enters the room, and Adam looks at him. They stare awkwardly for a moment.



David, softly, “Can I talk to you?”

Adam, “Doesn’t look like I have a whole lot of choice.”

David, “I’m sorry!”

Adam, “Sorry about what? You wouldn’t be saying sorry if you were doing nothing wrong! Joel is lying and you know it!”

David, “You don’t understand how delicate my position is right now!”

Adam, “I understand. It’s my job to understand.”

David, “I am doing everything I can to do good in this world, but to be able to do that I have to stay king. I have to stay alive.”

Adam, “You don’t know what good is anymore.” He lets it sink in. He shakes his head, “No decent person wants to be king! I wish I’d realized that three years ago.”

David, “I never wanted to be king! Adam, you have no idea what being a leader is really like! You have no idea what kind of horrific decisions I’ve had to make! I have made decisions that I wouldn’t wish on anyone else! I tore Gilboa apart, and now I’m trying to hold all these little pieces together, and if I fail, then what happens?!”

Adam, “I don’t know, you should have thought about that.”

David, “Look, I made a stupid fucking mistake, but that is my mistake and no one else’s!”

Adam, “Were you the one who gave Joel the order?”

David, “No! I would never do that!”

Adam, shaking his head in disbelief and disgust, “I don’t want to be your spokesperson. I don’t want to be in your army. I don’t want anything to do with you.”

David, crushed, “That’s fine, that’s fine. I-I’m sorry to see you go.”

Adam, “You know, I don’t regret my time in the AFG. I was your most devoted soldier. It gave me something to believe. It made me brave. It made me better. But I’ve lost my faith. And the worst part is that it’s _you_ I’ve lost my faith in.” He turns to leave.

David is utterly distraught but doesn’t even try to say anything. Slowly, he turns and heads back to the residence.

  * David, looking exhausted, goes into the residence. Helen enters from the kitchen, and greets him with a warm smile, “Hi.”



David is surprised to see her, “Hi. What are you-”

Helen, “Jessie called me. She had to deal with your brother, but didn’t want to leave Jack alone.”

David, “We have a staff. We have someone whose job it is…”

Helen, “I don’t mind. I made butter chicken for dinner. There’s some staying warm in the oven, if you want it.”

David, “Yeah, thanks. I guess I haven’t eaten anything today.” They both share a small laugh.

Helen approaches David and hugs him, “You did good today.”

David, “I don’t know what good is anymore.”

Helen steps back, “I’ll see you later, David.”

David, “Bye.” He watches her leave. When the door closes, he turns and slowly goes to the living room. Jack lays on the sofa, his hand on his head.

David goes over to him, “Hey.”

Jack moans softly in recognition.

David, “Does your head still hurt?”

Jack, “Yeah.”

David sighs deeply, “I’m sorry… Did- did you watch everything on TV?”

Jack, “Yeah.” Long, awkward pause. David kneels down beside Jack. He gently strokes his face, but Jack brushes his hand away.

David begins to cry, and he whispers, “I shouldn’t be king.”

Jack, “No.”

David, “Just say the word, and I’ll abdicate.”

Jack gives David a furious look, “No.”

David, “I can’t do this!”

Jack, “Stop.”

David, “I’ll take you back up to the cabin, we can live there and not have to worry about anything!”

Jack, “I won’t let you. I thought- dead. I thought I was dead. I thought I was in hell. C-couldn’t talk. Couldn’t move. No you. Dead and in hell. You have to be king.”

David, “Jack, please.”

Jack, “I won’t let you.”

David, “Please, please…”

Jack, “I won’t let you.”


	59. S6, E10: Après Moi

**10\. Après Moi**

Adam lies in bed, blinking and wide awake. The alarm clock beside his bed glows 1:37. There’s a noise outside, and his head snaps to the side, eyes wide open, paying sharp attention. The sound of voices. Adam slides out of bed and onto the ground. He grabs a gun from his beside table. He goes into the hallway, and creeps toward a front-facing window. Carefully, he crouches at the side of the window, and peers out. He sees Liam and four dudes laughing and throwing rocks at his front door. He lowers the gun and stands up.

He opens the door, “What the fuck are you doing?”

Liam, clearly drunk, laughs, “What the fuck do you want, man?! Fuckin’ traitor.”

Adam, “Get out of here or I’m calling the police.”

Liam, “Call the fuckin’ cops! We’re untouchable!”

Adam, “Just get out of here!”

Liam grows more serious, “Seriously. Call the cops. See what they do. If David’s a corrupt asshole like you say, nothing’s gonna happen to us. If we get arrested, it means David’s not bailing out his friends. So do it. Let’s see what happens.”

Adam hesitates. He glances back inside his apartment, thinking for a moment, and then turns back to Liam, “Just go home, man. I don’t want you to get arrested.”

Liam, “Don’t act like you fucking care! You turned on all of us!”

Adam, “I don’t want to cause any more trouble!”

Liam laughs, “Too bad! You already caused it!”

Adam, “Just get out of here. Please.”

Liam, “Fuck you, man.” He turns and saunters away.

  * Night time in the poorly-lit office space of a mechanic’s garage. A middle-aged woman named Tanya talks to two men in AFG jackets, Jace Belen and Ian Richards.



Tanya, “You two need to get to Gath before the MI catches onto you.”

Belen, “I told you, we’re not going to Gath, we intend to serve Gilboa.”

Tanya, “You want to die in Gilboa?”

Richards, “We faced death every day in the AFG. This is nothing new.”

Tanya, “How about you two getting caught would fuck a lot of us over, hm?”

Belen, “Gath’s a dump. You socialists think it’s paradise, it’s just as fucked up as Gilboa.”

Tanya, “I’ve been an anarchist longer than you’ve been alive. I know what Gath is like, and I know it’s willing to take a couple of common murderers in if they’ll hand over a few secrets.”

Richards, “I’ll go,” he looks at Belen, “Can’t fight if we’re dead.”

Belen, “All right, fine.” They go into the garage where a couple of men wait for them.

Tanya, “Pete has some false IDs for you. He’ll drive you over the border.”

Belen, “So we just leave right now?”

Pete, “Best if you don’t look like you’re going somewhere. Get in.” He opens the door and gets in, Belen and Richards following him. The garage door opens, and on the other side is a line of police officers.

Pete, “Oh, shit.” Belen grabs a gun out of his waistband and fires. Everyone gets down and shots ring out.

Tanya ducks behind the car, “Drive, drive!” The car lurches forward and knocks over a few police officers. It peels out, Belen still firing out the back window. Suddenly, a sniper shot to the head knocks Pete to the side, and the car crashes into a light pole.

  * In a police station, David and Joel get briefed by Detective Ferrero, “They had with them weapons that matched those used in the crime. When they are asked, they confessed right away. They both told the same story. Everything was consistent with the evidence at the scene. We have no reason to believe they’re lying. I intend to have charges brought by this morning.”



David, softly, “What are their names?”

Ferrero, “Jace Belen and Ian Richards. They’re both ex-AFG.”

David, “Seriously?”

Ferrero, “Belen gave a long spiel about Reinhardt being a traitor and a liar. Said he was serving his country.”

David grows distraught, “Oh, Jesus…”

Joel, quietly, “What do you want to do with them?”

David, “What?”

Joel, “You’re the king. You can hand down an automatic death sentence if you want.”

David, “What?! No! I- fuck! They’re criminals- just regular fucking criminals who are going to get a fair trial just like our declaration of rights says. A jury will find them guilty, and a judge will pass the verdict. I don’t want anything to fucking do with them!”

Joel, “If they’ve confessed, they’re likely to make some kind of plea deal. They could very well just get life in prison. Would you be okay with that?”

David, “You’re the one with the fucking law degree, Joel!”

Joel, “ _L’état, c’est toi_.”

David, “What?”

Joel, “The law is whatever the fuck you say it is, man,” he changes the subject, “If they were trying to cross into Gath, we need to look into the very real possibility that they received aid from Gath.”

David, “If Gath was helping them, they wouldn’t have gotten caught.”

Joel, “We still need to investigate the possibility.”

David, “Then fucking do that, then! I- I need a break. Has anyone contacted Lydia?”

Ferrero, “Who?”

David, “Lydia Reinhardt!”

Ferrero, “Oh, the widow? No, she hasn’t been informed.”

David, “I’ll do it. I’ll go do it right now.”

  * David sits in a hallway, slumped against a wall, his phone up to his ear, “Lydia, hi. It’s David. They, um. They found someone. (beat) I- I’m not really sure what to say. Congratulations? I’m sorry? Nothing really seems right,” he listens for a long moment, “Listen, Lydia, um, I take responsibility for what happened. I tend to blame myself for _everything_ , but, this time it really is my fault. I made Caesar into a target when I appointed him, and I am so sorry for that.” another long silence, “No, please- everyone always tells me that it’s never my fault- I really wish for once that I could just take the blame for something. This is all my fault. I’m sorry.”



  * Rose gives a press conference as camera flashes snap, “Two suspects have been arrested in the murder of Caesar Reinhardt. Their names are Ian Richards and Jace Belen. They were apprehended in a mechanic’s garage in Shiloh, and attempted to flee. During the arrest, an accomplice was killed, and another arrested. We believe at this point that they were attempting to reach Gath. A motive still has yet to be fully established, but we believe that it was political.”



  * David talks to Joel, Rose, Abby, Shay, and Asher in the council chamber, “Why did you say that we haven’t established the motive? They gave the motive as soon as they were arrested.”



Rose, “The story of two former AFG soldiers murdering the minister of defense is one that needs to be handled carefully.”

David, “But you can’t just lie about it!”

Rose, “I’m doing what I can to make sure Richards and Belen don’t become heroes. They could inspire followers.”

David, “You still can’t lie!”

Rose, “A traitor who believes he’s doing the right thing is still a traitor.”

Abby, “Gath is going to react to this. They’re going to take even the slightest insinuation as a direct accusation.”

Joel, “There’s been no established connection between the suspects and Gath.”

Abby, “Shaw won't give a fuck."

Shay, “You can tell Shaw that any action with the intent of murdering a Gilboan minister is grounds for war.”

Abby, sarcastic, “Because escalating tensions is exactly what we need to be doing right now.”

David rubs his eyes, “Honestly I wish Gath would just fucking attack and get it over with.”

Shay, “We can cut to the chase and do it ourselves.”

David, “Joel, the video about Beth. Did it come from Gath?”

Joel, “It was uploaded to a server within Gilboa. But we don’t know who filmed or edited it. Could have been Gath agents.”

Asher, softly, “David, when was the last time you slept?”

David, "I dunno. I think I might have gotten an hour between coming home and getting the phone call.”

Asher, “Before you make any decisions, you should take a nap. And eat something. You look like shit, man."

David, “I’ll take a nap when I fucking get to it.”

  * David sits in his office, looking at his computer. On the screen are Richard and Belen’s mugshots. David scrolls down and clicks on a video. In it, Richards, being interrogated, explains, “Man, we fought _against_ monsters like Reinhardt. I believe in David as king, but sometimes he makes the wrong decisions.”



There’s a knock at the door.

David stops the video, “Yes?”

The door opens and Dr. Othman steps in, “Rabbi Levinson said that I should speak to you.”

David, “He did, did he?”

Othman sits down, “How are you holding up?”

David, “If I told you I was doing fine, it’d be a lie, but I don’t know how much better I could be doing.”

Othman, “Care to elaborate?”

David, “You fought in the Gath army, right?”

Othman, “Yes.”

David, “And you believe in protecting your homeland?”

Othman, “Yes.”

David, “Would you be willing to continue being my doctor if I fought a war against Gath?”

Othman, “I have absolutely no moral ground to stand on in that regard. My duties as your doctor stay the same.”

David sighs, “Just one of the shitload of major national decisions I’m trying to make right now,” He pauses for a moment, "I’m trying not to go back into that numb place I was after Jack got shot. I make really bad decisions when I do that,” he sighs, “But at the same time I'm trying to look at everything rationally, removed from all the emotions I have crowding my head. The only real guide I have is asking myself, what would Silas do?”

Othman, “So, what would Silas do?”

David, “He’d have declared war months ago. But then again, he’d have never settled with Gath in the first place. He’d still be at war with Ammon. Which means he wouldn’t be going to a wedding where he’d have both Michael Shaw and Wayne Judd trying to fuck with his head. But then he’s still be fighting two wars he couldn’t win and trying to choose whether or not he should surrender one to save the other. I don’t know which one he’d choose,” he looks at Othman, “It’s weird that I feel like I’m starting to understand him. I keep imagining myself talking to him, what he’d say to me, and sometimes, I swear I can actually hear him laughing at me.”

Othman, “Why is he laughing?”

David, “Because I fucking chose this! I fought a war so I could do this!”

Othman, “What was all that about never wanting to be king?”

David, “I never wanted it, but I still chose to do it. I was doing the right thing, and look where it’s got me.”

Othman, “I think you need some sleep.”

  * Adam sits in his living room watching Tanya give a press conference on TV.



Tanya, “The death of Caesar Reinhardt was entirely justified! Mr. Richards and Mr. Belen fought tyranny in the AFG and they continue to fight today!”

Adam’s phone rings. He makes an annoyed glance at it. On the screen: BETH SABBATINO. He hesitates a moment, but then picks it up, “Beth?”

On the other end, Beth, “Yeah, hi, Adam.”

Adam, “Why are you calling now?”

Beth, “Um, I’ve got a lot of people calling me asking to get in touch with you.”

Adam, “I’m not doing interviews.”

Beth, “No, not like reporters. They’re ex-AFG members who think you’re right.”

Adam, “What?”

Beth, “Look, I don’t want to get involved with this at all.”

Adam, “You’ve done a lot of interviews!”

Beth, “I need to make money! Do you honestly think I can get a fucking job after all this shit?! Anyway, this is not about me, I don’t want anything to do with this, but people keep calling me asking to talk to you!”

Adam, “I’m not doing interviews.”

Beth, “Not reporters. People who think you’re right. A lot of them are ex-AFG.”

Adam, “I just had to chase Liam and a bunch of his drunk buddies away from my apartment. I’m a traitor. They want my blood.”

Beth, “The people I’ve talked to seem sincere.”

Adam, “You thought David was really in love with you.”

Beth, furious, “Look, will you just fucking talk to someone so they’ll leave me alone?”

Adam, “I don’t want to talk to anyone.”

Beth, “Then what the fuck are you doing?”

Adam, “I don’t know!”

  * David dozes on the living room sofa. Jack sits down next to him, leans down, and gently kisses his forehead.



David wakes up, “Mmmh?”

Jack, “I made dinner.”

David grins drowsily, “You did?”

Jack, “Tacos.”

cut to: David eats tacos with Jack, “Crap, these are good. Never would have figured you’d be able to cook.”

Jack grins, “I’m good.”  
David’s phone buzzes. David, “Fuck. What now?” He answers the phone, “Yes?”

On the other end, Shay, “Gath is firing on us near Bethlehem.”

David, “What?”

Shay, “I don’t know what’s happening, but my officers are telling me that we’ve been getting gunfire from the Phils.”

David, “Is it an attack or just gunfire?”

Shay, “I don’t know.”

David, “Have you talked to the Gath officers? Did they authorize this?”

Shay, “They aren’t responding.”

David, “Shit! Have you called Abby?”

Shay, “Yeah, she’s making calls right now. David…. what are we supposed to do?”

David, “What do you mean?”

Shay, “Is this an act of war, or not? Are we going to respond?”

David sighs deeply, “We’re not going to stand by and be attacked. If this is war, it’s war.” He hangs up, puts his phone on the table and rubs his eyes, “Fuck!” He looks over at Jack, “I am so sorry, I think I have to go.”

Jack, “I’m going with you.”

  * In the dark back seat of a limousine, David dozes on Jack’s shoulder. Jack wears his AFG jacket, now altered to read SHEPHERD. Shay sits in tense silence, fiddling with the beads on her rosary.



Abby talks on her phone, “I don’t know how long this is going to last. Probably a while. I’ll call you when I can give you an update, okay?”

The royal motorcade roars down a lonely country road with a sign, BETHLEHEM, 12 MILES.

Jack looks out the window, and then gently shakes David’s shoulder, “We’re here.”

David opens his eyes and lifts his head. The motorcade pulls up to the old Shepherd farmhouse: eerily lit by harsh spotlight, surrounded by armed soldiers and Gath military vehicles, a Gath flag flying in front of it, a light snow falling. David gets out of the limo. He stares at the farmhouse for a moment, and then helps Jack get out. In a slow procession, everyone goes up to the house, with Gath’s soldiers keeping a close eye on them.

  * Inside the house, Gerald goes up and greets them, an unctuous smile on his face, Michael trailing behind him.



Shaw, “Your majesty. Always a pleasure to see you.”

David gives him an annoyed look, “Cut the bullshit, Gerald. Get us some coffee.”

Gerald, “Whatever happened to your famous manners?”

David, “This is my home. I grew up here. I’m not going to act like a guest in it.”

Gerald eyes David for a moment, and the gestures, “Come sit. I’ll have coffee brought out.” Everyone goes into the living room. There, Leon Shaw hangs quietly in the background. Michael eyes the SHEPHERD on Jack’s jacket.

Michael, “Are you wearing his jacket?”

Jack, “It’s mine. A-altered. My name is Jack Shepherd.”

Everyone sits down. Shay starts the conversation, “I have a lot of reports and every single one of them says that the gunfire came from the Gath camp.”

Michael, “That would be my unit. We didn’t fire. I’d know about it. It came from your side.”

Jack, “Liar.”

Michael, “I never lie.”

Jack, “D-does your mom know… .” Michael sneers and looks away.

Abby, “We aren’t here to argue who fired first, we’re here to settle what happens next.”

David, “I’m no longer afraid to go to war. A long time ago, I promised my mother that she’d be able to return home. I intend on keeping that promise. And anyway, if I find out that Gath had anything to do with the murder of Caesar Reinhardt, or aided his murderers in any way, I am declaring war.”

Gerald, “We had nothing to do with Reinhardt. He was killed by Gilboans and Gilboans alone.”

David stares hard at Gerald and leans back, “Look, I’m fucking exhausted. I honestly don’t remember the last time I got a full eight hours of sleep. I really, really don’t want to be here, but here I am. All I want to know is why. You got your revenge. Why are you continuing this with me?”

Gerald, “Continuing what?”

David snaps, “Whatever the fuck it is that got us to sit down here! Do you want more war? Is that it? Do you want another fucking war on some stupid hope that you’re gonna conquer Gilboa?! I’ve got news for you, that’s not gonna happen! I stopped you once already, and that was just with a little band of rebels, now I have an entire fucking army! What the fuck else could you possibly want?!”

Gerald, “The only way for peace to exist between Gath and Gilboa is for one to no longer exist.”

David, “Is that the only way you can make your people believe that you’re a good leader?”

Michael jumps to his feet, “You shut the fuck up!”

David, “Do you _need_ a war? Do you need a war to distract your people from what a shithole Gath really is?!”

Abby gets up and grabs David by the shoulders, “David, that’s enough!”

David, furiously yelling, “You think you brought Silas to his knees, that was me! You tried to kill Jack but I brought him back from the dead! I have out-smarted and out-witted you at every turn and here you are acting like you’re so fucking superior! Going to war with me will be the end of you and the end of Gath!”

From the corner, Leon Shaw speaks up, “You made a promise!”

David steps back, and looks at him.

Leon, “You promised your people you wouldn’t lead them into another unending war.”

David, determined to stay calm, “I am not leading here. I am following what’s been laid out before me. What happens next is up to your father.”

Gerald stares at David for a long moment. He glances over at Jack.

Jack, quietly, “I’m still alive.”

Finally, Gerald says, “If Gilboa de-escalates, I will allow your brother and his family to return to their home.”

David, “That’s not enough. I want the borderlands returned to Gilboa.”

Gerald, “I’m not going to do that.”

David, “Well, that’s too bad for you, then, because I’m not de-escalating shit until I get something in return.”

Abby, “We can negotiate an exchange of territory.”

David, “I’m sick of negotiating.”

Abby, “David, you’re tired. We’re all fucking tired. You and Jack both need to sleep. The best thing any of us can do right now is go back to Shiloh and get some sleep.”

David, “So what? We go back to Shiloh with nothing? I want the borderlands back!”

Gerald, “You’re going to have to fight a war for that.”

David, “Fuck you!”

Abby, exasperated, “David!” She grabs his shoulders and pulls him away from the Shaws, “You can stay here and scream at Gerald until you pass out, but I’m fucking tired and I want to go back home!”

David pushes away from her, muttering, “This is bullshit!”

Shay rubs her face, “David, even if you told me to launch an attack right now, I’m not in any shape to be giving orders. We can continue this in Shiloh, after we’ve all gotten some sleep.”

  * Swallowing his pride and holding back his fury, David leads everyone out towards the limousine. Abby and Shay get in ahead of him.



As Jack passes him, David gently asks, “Are you feeling okay?”

Jack, “Yeah. But I need sleep.”

He gets in the limo, and David moves to get in after him, but is interrupted by a “Wait!” He looks over and sees Leon running up to him.

David, “What do you want?”

Leon reaches him, “You’re making the right decision.”

David, “This isn’t a decision.”

Leon, “Dad is trying to make you crazy on purpose. He wants you to make bad decisions and for your people to lose faith in you and for everything to collapse. That’s why we did all the recordings and photos and leaks.”

David suppresses his anger, finally getting the admission he’s been after.

Leon, “Gath can’t win a war against you. We can’t overthrow you with a big bloody coup. But we can dig in and survive. Dad wants to make you suffer and bleed you dry… no matter what it means to Gath.”

David, “And what am I supposed to fucking do, then?”

Leon, “Don’t give in!”

David, “Is this bullshit gonna stop?”

Leon, “I- I dunno. Dad wants his revenge.”

David, “He had his fucking revenge. I want my home back!”

Leon, “It’s not worth it.”

David, “How the fuck do you know?”

Leon, “You have to believe me. It’s not worth a war. It’s not worth the lives.”

David thinks for a long moment, “You’re the youngest Shaw, right?”

Leon, “Yeah.”

David, “What’s your name again?”

Leon, “Leon.”

David, “Did Gath have anything to do with Caesar Reinhardt?”

Leon, “No.”

David, “Did you help the people who killed him?”

Leon, “No.”

David, completely exasperated, “Then why are you talking to me?”

Leon, “Going to war is a mistake.”

David, “I’ll be the one who makes that call.” He gets in the limo.

  * The limo drives along, everyone dozes but David. Staring out the window, he sees a sign: BETHLEHEM CEMETERY. He sits up for a moment like he’s going to say something, but the sign passes, and he sinks back down into his seat. Tears fill his eyes, and he wipes them away



  * Back in the palace, Jack puts on his pajamas while David sits on the edge of the bed, shirt collar unbuttoned.



Jack crawls into his place in the bed, “C’mon, babe.”

David glances back at him, “You go to sleep. I- I need to wind down for a little bit, okay?”

Jack, “You need sleep!”

David stands up, “When I’m able to sleep.”

He leaves the bedroom and goes into his office. For a moment, he looks over the pictures on his bookshelves: his father, Eli, and Robert. Isaiah in the rest of the AFG family. David goes over to the window and gazes out over the city. A few electrical lights still shine. A faint blue glow warms the horizon. David puts a palm on the glass. He shuts his eyes and presses his forehead against the window.

([“DLZ” TV on the Radio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BAtp5yi5-4)) Just over David’s shoulder, Silas sits on the sofa, glaring at David with contempt. David opens his eyes and slowly turns around. He makes eye contact with Silas.

Silas, “You get it, now, don’t you?”

David, quiet, hoarse, exhausted, “What is there to get?”

Silas, “You always assumed I was a madman. Wrote me off, dismissed me. Now I don’t seem so mad, do I?”

David rolls his eyes. He paces past Silas, “I’m not turning into you. I’m not gonna do what you did.”

Silas, “And how’s that workin’ out for ya?”

David, “Shut up.”

Silas, “Look at you, the great hero, losing his mind, pacing in his office and talking to nothing, you are turning into me.”

David turns around and snaps, “SHUT UP!”

Silas, “You always wanted to be me! You wear my crown, stand in my place, lead my nation-”

David, “I fuck your son, too.”

Silas sneers, “You get it, now. This is what being king really means.”

David, “Being trapped?”

Silas, “You have a million different choices in front of you and none of them are good. You’re the only one who gets to make a decision. You’re the one who has to make a decision.”

David, half-hysterical, “Well at least I fucking know what the wrong decision is! It’s what you would do! I am not you! I am not turning into you!”

Silas, “So you’re just going to let Reinhardt go unavenged? What about Isaiah? Eli and Robert? Your father?”

David, “I need to be a wise leader, I don’t need revenge!”

Silas, “Yes you do. You need to hurt those who hurt you! You need to destroy those who seek to destroy you! You want Gerald Shaw's skull on your shelf!”

David, “I need to do the right thing!”

Silas stands up, “There is no right thing! There’s only the decisions you make and how you deal with the consequences!”

David closes his eyes and screams, “I AM NOT YOU!” (end music)

He opens his eyes. Silas is gone. David shakes and pants. Slowly, he gets down onto his knees. He lays down face-first, the same position he was in after Jack was shot. He opens his eyes again. Faint morning light begins to brighten the office. He shuts his eyes and pushes himself back up. He stares up at the sky visible from the window. He sniffs and rubs his face.

Shakily, he gets back up to his feet. He goes to his desk and sits down. He picks up the phone and punches in a number. He waits for a moment, and the says, “Joel, I want the men who killed Reinhardt executed. They’re murderers. The punishment for murder is death. They’re not getting a trial where they can broadcast their beliefs. They’re just getting what they deserve. I’m not dragging this out.”

He ends the conversation, and then punches in another number, “Shay, I want you to get your sleep… Get your fucking sleep and then begin an assault on Gath. Either I’m going down or Gerald’s going down, I don’t care any more. I’m not going back. We’re going to war. We’re going to destroy Gath, and that’s an order.”

He hangs up the phone. He sits for a moment, letting the weight of it all wash over him.

He gets up and goes into the bedroom. Jack watches as he changes into his pajamas. David lays down next to him. They stare into each other’s eyes for a long moment.

David, quietly, weakly, “I just declared war on Gath.”

Jack puts his hand on David’s face, leans in, and kisses him. (reprise “DLZ”)


	60. S6, E11: Le Déluge

**“Le Déluge”**

Snowy farm, would be idyllic of not for the soldiers, artillery, and military vehicles hanging around. The crowd of soldiers part and look on as David and Shay are led around the grounds by two officers: Harel, of Silas’s army, and Westcott, of the AFG.

Harel, “Took out most of their defenses with a drone strike. Cleaning it all up was pretty easy, only a few injuries on our side.”

David, “What about on their side? What exactly did we take out?”

Harel, “We captured our objective. The house is still intact. We could have the family that owns this property moving back in before too long.”

Shay, “It’s way too early to start refugee re-settlement.”

David stops walking and looks around at the soldiers around him, “What’s the makeup of this unit?”

Westcott, “Most of the officers are AFG, and the privates are a good mix of army, AFG and new recruits.”

David, “No in-fighting?”

Westcott shrugs, “Why fight each other when we could be fighting the Phils?”

David, “Nice. I was worried about how the integration would affect the fight-” He’s interrupted when an RPG lands on the roof of the house and explodes. The troops immediately get into position to exchange fire with the Gath soldiers hidden in the woods.

Instinctually, Shay and David dive behind the wall of the house and grab their guns. Westcott runs off to provide cover fire for his men. Shay looks out from the corner of the building. Another rocket fires from the woods and lands near them.

Harel, “Sir, we have to get you away from the fighting!”

Shay, “We can’t go anywhere as long as they have that RPG!” A third explosion booms. Shay leans out to view the firing. She looks from the fight up to the windows of the house. She turns back to Harel, “You cover David!”

She runs over to a transport and grabs a sniper rifle from it. She barrels into the burning house, and thunders up the stairs. She covers her mouth and nose with her shirt and ducks from the flames. She dives into a bedroom and looks through the windows. She smashes the glass of one, and then sets up her rifle to start firing. One by one, she picks off Gath soldiers. Another rocket hits the floor below her, but she keeps her position.

Carefully, she looks through her scope for the rocket launcher, and sees the soldiers operating it. In quick succession, she takes them each out. She looks behind her and sees that the way out has become engulfed in flames. She looks down the other side of the house and sees a roof slanting away. She breaks the window and climbs out onto the roof. She slides down and falls onto a soft snowbank, a few feet off from where David and Harel hide.

Harel, “What the fuck did you just do?!”

Shay, “I just took out the RPG!”

David, “Nice!”

Harel, “No!”

  * David, Jack, and Shay sit in the council chamber, surrounded by older, Silas-era generals and officials (including Harel).



One of the generals, General Brooke, “Our drone strikes are working. Gath is retreating wherever we attack, and we’ve only faced resistance in a few places.”

David, “What happened at the farm I visited?”

Brooke, “A unit could have easily been sent to wait in advance of your arrival.”

Shay, “Captain Westcott said we had the area cleaned out, it had to have been a stealth team.”

David, “How’d they know I was gonna be there?”

Brooke, “They could have followed you with a satellite.”

Harel speaks up, “If I may, I would like to discuss General Mendoza’s actions at the farm.”

Shay, “I saved lives.”

Harel, “By recklessly endangering your own!”

Shay, “I cannot believe I have to defend saving lives!”

David, “Look, I know it seems like a really big deal to you guys who have been officers for a really long time, but, Shay was just doing what we did in the AFG. Everyone fought. I expect nothing less from her.”

Harel, “With all due respect, sir, you’re no longer leading the AFG, and you’re no longer fighting the Amalekites.”

Shay, smarmy, “Well, _with all due respect_ , we’re not fighting the Amalekites because the AFG fucking ended them while you guys stood around with your dicks in your hands.”

David, “Shay, that’s inappropriate.”

Brooke, “I will say that it was King Silas’s decision not to fight the Amalekites and not our own.”

Shay rolls her eyes.

Jack speaks up, “Casualty estimates… they’re low. Why?”

Brooke, “Gath has always had comparatively low casualty numbers.”

Shay, “Cockroach motherfuckers.”

Jack, “Lower than usual. L-lower than they used to be.”

David looks at the numbers, “What kind of numbers did Silas have?”

Jack, “More than this.”

David sighs, “Dig in and survive.”

Brooke, “Sir?”

David, “They’ve got to be fortifying their defenses somewhere. Gath is in this for the long term.”

Brooke, “We’ve fought Gath before and we’ll continue to do so.”

David, “How are we going to end this?”

Brooke, “It’s too early to be thinking about an ending.”

  * Outside the palace, there’s a modest, peaceful anti-war protest with a good smattering of AFG veterans. Signs like “No more war!” “AFG veterans for peace” and “I thought we were done with this shit!”



An organizer in an AFG jacket climbs up on a makeshift platform in front of the crowd and says into a microphone attacked to a speaker, “I have someone here I’d like you all to listen to!”

The crowd goes quiet.

Organizer, “This is someone who got in trouble for speaking the truth, and is now doing everything he can to lead Gilboa away from a path of war, oppression, and darkness. Captain Adam Solano!”

The crowd cheers and applauds. The organizer steps aside. Adam stands beside the platform.

He steps up and takes the microphone. He looks around nervously for a moment, and then says, “I joined the AFG believing that David Shepherd would lead Gilboa away from war. Not even six months after he was crowned, we’re at war again. How many more promises are we going to see broken? How many more lies are we going to hear?”

The crowd cheers.

A tiny smile flickers over Adam’s face, but then he becomes even more serious, “How many lies have we already heard? Who can the people turn to when they can’t trust their king?”

The crowd listens, absolutely rapt.

Adam, “We can’t lose any more lives to needless war. If King David care at all about this nation, he will end this war!”

The crowd starts to get pumped.

Adam, “Gilboans are no longer a people who will just sit back and swallow whatever their king gives them, do whatever their king tells them! We are a free people now!”

Cheering. Adam, “The people have spoken! We don’t want this war! Now our king has to listen!”

The applause swells. Adam smiles, feeling confident for the first time.

  * David and Asher sit in a darkened room, watching a grainy film of young Silas, cleaned up and bandaged, being interrogated after killing Achison.



Silas, “I went in, I took them all out. It all happened quickly, I couldn’t tell you what order they died in, but I wounded Achison first so that he couldn’t get away, and I saved him for last. I wanted him to see what I’d done, to make sure he knew that Gath had lost.”

Asher, “Why are we watching this, again?”

David, “The one time Silas actually managed to end a war with Gath.”

Asher, “He didn’t end shit. He just pressed the pause button for a while.”

David sighs, “Leon Shaw told me that Gerald’s goal is to bleed Gilboa dry. When I was just a private on the front, people always said Gath soldiers could survive anything. Gath’s economy is built around war. They don’t just survive war, they thrive on it. This was Gerald’s plan all along, and I fell for it.”

On screen, Silas asks his interrogators, “Who is it that’s gonna be in charge of Gath now? Isn’t it Achison’s son-in-law? What’s his name?”

An interrogator, “Gerald Shaw.”

Silas laughs and rolls his eyes, “Fucking _Gerald_. Yeah, I guarantee you that the first thing that _Gerald_ does after taking the oath is signing whatever surrender agreement Samuels hands him. This war had no end in sight and I just ended it.”

Asher looks over at David, “Please tell me you’re not thinking of doing something stupid.”

David, “I’m considering what my options are.”

Asher, “Jesus, David!”

David, “At this point, I still don’t even know what something stupid might be.”

Asher, “You’re thinking about killing Shaw, aren’t you?”

David, “It’s an option.”

Asher, “First of all, you can’t kill Shaw without killing his sons, as well, because otherwise they’d go for revenge against you, and Jack’s already been shot once.”

David, sharply, “Don’t say that!”

Asher, “It’s why he got shot in the first place. Revenge is a cycle.”

David, “Then how the fuck am I supposed to get Gath to surrender?”

Asher, “Fuck if I know. You’re the king, not me.”

They go quiet and go back to watching the video.

Interviewer, “What made you believe you would be successful?”

Silas, utterly serious, “God is on my side.”

David, “Do you believe there’s any truth to that?”

Asher, “I believe Silas was a skilled, determined fighter who knew exactly what he was doing when he went into that tent. However God fits into it, Silas made a choice.”

David, “I dunno. Luck like that… it’s kinda hard not to think that Silas had someone protecting him… or that maybe I’ve had someone protecting me.”

Asher, “God’s favor isn’t always the best thing. God straight up told the Jews that we’re His chosen people and then He went and sent us the fucking Amalekites. The actual grandsons of Amalek, not a bunch of crazy, suicidal terrorists.”

David, “Maybe that was the devil.”

Asher, “Oh, sweet fuck. I don’t have time for this.”

David, “What, does Satan not exist in Judaism?”

Asher, “He does, just not in the cape-and-horns exorcist way that Christians like to see him as. Well, some Hasidic and kabbalistic interpretations see him kinda like that, but that’s all mythology and mysticism. In the book of Job, Satan torments Job, takes away his wealth, kills his children, and ruins his life, but only with God’s permission.”

David, “So… what does that mean?”

Asher, “Satan is subordinate to God. He does God’s will. People don’t like to think of bad things being a part of God’s will, so they blame Satan without realizing that he’s an agent of God. Honestly, it drives me up a wall whenever I hear fundamentalists talking about Satan and demonic influence creating all the evil in the world. Blaming demons diminishes the fact that people choose to do bad things. It’s much easier to just say it’s the devil than it is to explain human evil.”

David looks back at the screen.

Silas, “I did the right thing. I did the thing that nobody else could do. I did what everyone else was scared to do. I succeeded because I put my faith in God and He guided me through it. I ended this war.”

  * Andrew, Adam, and Chloe sit having dinner at Andrew’s house. Andrew, “I saw a video of the speech you gave. You must feel proud of yourself.”



Adam, “Yeah, it went well.”

Andrew, “Went well? You had the crowd riveted.”

Adam, “I made my point.”

Andrew, “Do you have any plans to make similar speeches in the future?”

Adam holds up a bit off food on a fork, “What are we eating again?”

Chloe, “Grilled lemongrass ginger chicken.”

Adam, “It’s good.”

Chloe, “We have a cook!”

Andrew, loudly, “As I was saying!” Everyone looks at him. Andrew, “Have you considered making more speeches?”

Adam, “Yeah, I have.”

Andrew, “Excellent! You know, with OMGossip, I can give you an incredibly powerful platform.”

Adam, “I don’t want it.”

Andrew, “What?”

Adam shrugs, “I don’t want it!”

Andrew, utterly confused, “If we work together, you and I can lead a very powerful resistance movement!”

Adam, “I don't want that."

Andrew, confused, "You can’t be serious. What about Judgement Day? The speech at the protest?”

Adam, “I did that without you.”

Andrew, “And imagine how much better you could do with what I have to give you!”

Adam, “Do you want to be king?”

Andrew, “How many times am I going to be asked this? No, I don’t!”

Adam rolls his eyes, “You see, you want power and control and influence, but you keep insisting you don’t want to be king. I couldn’t figure it out, why you’d keep doing all this, but then I realized, you don’t want to be king, because your dad wanted to be king, and you don’t want to be like your dad. But you are like him. You want to rule Gilboa, but have someone else wear the crown. You want me to be that someone else, and I’m not gonna do it.”

Chloe laughs a little bit. Adam eats his chicken while Andrew gawks.

Adam, to Chloe, “You should tell your cook this is really good.”

Chloe, “I will!”

Andrew, quietly nasty, “Well, what about you?! You don’t want to be king, but you want to overthrow David?!”

Adam, “I can’t overthrow David, and neither can you.”

Andrew, “You underestimate the power the media has! I can build an army!”

Adam, “You’re a spoiled rich boy who’s never been in combat.”

Andrew, “If you’re going to insult me, then you’re going to have to leave!”

Chloe, “He can stay!” Andrew and Adam look at her. Chloe, "It's rude to invite someone over and then tell them to leave."

Andrew huffs and stands up, “I’m not standing for this!" He huffs off.

Chloe watches him go, and then turns to Adam, “Sorry about that. He can be a real asshole sometimes.”

Adam, “It's okay. This food really is delicious. I’m glad I can stay to finish it.”

Chloe, “You know, you don't have to overthrow David to make a difference. I mean, I’ll be honest with you, I like him, and Jack and Michelle have both been really nice to me. David’s definitely not perfect, but he’s a huge step up from King Silas.”

Adam, "He's very good at looking good.”

Chloe, “Maybe that can be your thing. You keep him honest."

Adam, “I think David doesn't know what honesty is.”

Chloe, “So teach him. Somebody has to.”

  * In a briefing room, General Brooke points to a line on a map, “They’re building up their defenses here.”



David, dismayed, “Seriously? That’s exactly where it was when I was at the front!”

Shay, “Yeah, they like that position. Very hard to breach. Gilboa’s made a few dents in it in the past, but not without losses.”

David sighs deeply, “Where are we now?”

Brooke, “There’s been some resistance in and around Bethlehem, but we expect to have it cleared within 24 hours.”

David, “I want to be able to visit when it’s safe.”

  * David is driven in a transport vehicle down a blackened road lined with burned-out Gath military vehicles.



Cut to: driving through downtown Bethlehem, devastated by the fighting.

David, still in the transport, looks around helplessly, “How much of this damage is us, and how much is them?”

Driver, “Hard to tell, but the Phils have been lighting up civilian targets as they go. Not leaving much behind.”

David, “That’s a war crime.”

Driver, “Shaw doesn’t give a fuck. They’ve done it before.”

Cut to: The transport drives past the still-smoking Bethlehem High School. Cut to: David stands in front of the gutted Shepherd family home.

Shay stands next to him, “I’m sorry, man.”

David, “It’s- it’s okay. The house was empty, the animals were sold… Arthur and Mom both took what heirlooms and valuables they could, so…” he sighs, “Couldn’t get the piano, though.”

Shay, “You aren’t angry?”

David, “Yeah, I’m angry. But angry isn’t going to bring the house back, is it?” He turns around and walks away, “We can re-build it.”

  * Sundown, David stands on a point overlooking the front, Shay beside him. He peers through a pair of binoculars at a Gath camp in the distance.



Brooke speaks to him, “Our intelligence report say that Shaw’s visiting that camp. It’s his son’s unit.”

David, “Which son?”

McReynolds, “The youngest one.”

David, “Leon.”

McReynolds, “Yeah, that one.”

David looks through the binoculars again.

  * David and Shay sit in a tent, getting briefed.



Brooke, “They’re dug in pretty good. We’ve been making strikes along the line all day but they might as well be bouncing right off.”

David, “Have you tried anything else?”

Brooke, “We’ve tried a few direct attacks, but they’re resisting everything. At this point, the best we can do is just keep fighting.”

David sighs and rubs his eyes, “Shit. If there’s nothing I can do, I might as well go back to Shiloh.”

Shay, “Can I speak with His Majesty alone for a few moments, colonel?”

Brooke, “Of course. He leaves them.”

David, “His majesty?”

Shay, “It’s how I’m supposed to refer to you. You’re still my boss.”

David, “Okay.”

Shay, “These old guys, guys who fought for Silas, they don’t like heroics. They have one way of fighting, and that’s all they stick to. They just keep doing things in the way it’s expected, and nothing fucking changes. We were supposed to change things, man.”

David, “Change isn’t easy.”

Shay, “Change is inevitable.”

David sighs, “I need to call Jack, tell him I probably won’t make it back tonight. Do you mind?”

Shay, "Go ahead.”

David goes over to a chair, pulls out his phone, and makes a call.

Rose’s voice, "Hello."

David, “Rose? What's up?"

Rose, "Jack tripped and sprained his ankle. The doctor is bandaging him up now. Don’t worry about anything, he's fine."

David, “What? What happened?”

Rose “I told you, he tripped. He still has problems with his balance, you know.”

David, "Can I talk to him?"

Rose, "When the doctor is done with him."

David rubs his face, "Listen, I’ve got things to deal with and… it's gonna be a long night here. Just tell Jack I'm gonna be later than I thought, and... I'm sorry."

Rose, "I will, don't worry.”

David, "Thanks."

Rose, "And David, stay safe. Please. I know you're not very good at it..."

David, "I'll do my best. Good night, Rose."

Rose, "Good night, David."

David hangs up and sits for a moment, contemplating.

Shay, "What's up?"

David, "Jack sprained his ankle... You know, balance problems…”

Shay, "That's because of the brain injury, right?"

David, “Yeah.” He sighs deeply.

Shay goes over and sits facing him. They sit in silence for a moment.

David, calmly, but with certainty, “I want to kill Gerald Shaw. I’m pretty sure it’s the only way I can possibly end this war and…” fury simmers beneath his surface, “It’s not fair. Jack has worked so fucking hard and made so much progress, it’s easy to trick yourself into thinking that he’s not gonna be seriously affected for the rest of his life. Gerald needs to fucking pay for it.”

Shay, “So what are we gonna do?”

David, “We could try a drone, but I’m sure he’ll just scurry into a safety bunker and come back out when it’s over. We could try an organized strike, but I’m sure he’ll slither out of that. The only scenario I see possibly working is if I do what Silas did… just sneak in and kill him myself.”

Shay, “You can’t do that.”

David, “Don’t-”

Shay interrupts him, “Not without me. If you go into that camp, I’m going in right behind you.”

David, “You’re supposed to tell me to not do stupid shit.”

Shay, “I’ve known you long enough the know that once you decide to do something stupid, God Himself couldn’t stop you. Fighting this war rationally and strategically clearly isn’t working. Sometimes you just gotta do the right thing.”

David, “Would you seriously follow me?”

Shay, “I’d follow you through the gates of Hell, man.”

David smiles sadly, “Can’t do this without a plan.”

Shay, “Then let’s make one..”

  * David stands in a wooded area, looking into the Gath camp with night vision goggles. Shay and a small unit of Gilboan soldiers are behind him. In various places around the camp, technicians set up radio blockers and signal jammers. He lowers the goggles, and looks apprehensively over at Shay.



Shay, “Let’s do this.”

David nods, and speaks into a mouthpiece, “Go.”

On the other side of the camp, a soldier fires a rocket. Gath soldiers begin running to return fire, and Gilboan soldiers engage in the fight.

Gerald steps out of his tent, and asks a guard, “What’s going on?”

A guard, “There’s an attack on the other side of camp”

Gerald, “Gilboans never know when to quit.”

Leon emerges from within the tent, “Should we leave?”

Gerald looks over at the battle, “Only if it gets worse.”

Leon, “Do I need to be out there?”

Gerald, “No. It’ll be over in a few minutes. Come on.” He goes back into the tent.

Leon looks back out over in the direction of the fighting, and then re-joins Gerald in the tent.

Back in the woods, David gives a signal, and technicians turn their signal jammers on.

An officer talking into his radio, “We’re keeping an eye on them. It looks like they’re not bringing reinforcements. Over.”

A response doesn’t come.

Officer, “Do you receive me, over?” He looks over at his fellow officers, “You guys got a signal?”

They all shake their heads.

Outside of Gerald’s tent, the guards look around tensely.

In the woods, snipers with silencers on their rifles and take their position.

Quietly, stealthily, David and Shay sneak into the camp, creeping, unnoticed, towards Gerald’s tent.

Shay talks into a mouthpiece, “We’re in position. Ready?”

A sniper responds, “Ready.”

Shay, “Go.”

The snipers all fire, quickly taking out the guards. David and Shay rush towards the tent. Gerald steps out of the entrance, “What’s going on?” but he quickly gets tackled by Shay, and dragged back into the tent.

David enters immediately behind them. Leon lunges at him, but David quickly pins him to the ground and points a gun at his head.

Gerald, panicked, “Don’t shoot! Don't shoot!”

David looks over at Shay, "Thought I was gonna be the one to shoot kill Gerald, you may have to do the honors, Shay.”

Shay, “I can do that."

Gerald, "Please, don't hurt my son!”

David still holds the gun to Leon’s head, “And why shouldn’t I? You never gave Jack the chance.”

Gerald, “Please!”

David sneers at Gerald, “You know, it’s really funny seeing you beg. Silas never begged.”

Gerald, “What do you want?!”

David, “I want to kill you. I wasn’t counting on Leon being here, but I guess that’s just… _collateral_.”

Gerald, “I’ll surrender! I’ll end this war!”

David, “So you can start another one in a few months?”

Gerald, “Fine, kill me, but leave Leon be!”

David, “Don't fucking beg. It's unbecoming of a such an upstanding leader.” He cocks the gun, and Leon winces. David goes on, “Don’t worry, though. You can survive getting shot in the head, if the bullet goes in the right place, and you act quick enough. Which side should I shoot, left of right?”

Gerald, “You’re the noble one! You’re supposed to be better than this! You aren’t the one who goes for revenge!”

David, “You know I used to believe that kings were good men- that they’d been chosen by God, and they led with moral righteousness and always fought for the right thing, but you know what I’ve realized? All a king is, is a man with a gun. Right now, I’m the one with the gun.”

Shay looks nervously from David to Gerald.

Gerald, “Please, do the right thing here, David.”

David, “ _King_ David.”

Gerald, “King David!”

David, “The left side of the brain handles balance and speech. So he won’t be able to walk or talk. Right side handles memory. He won’t remember anything. Do you think Leon can be as lucky as Jack?”

Gerald, “Please, kill me, let Leon go!”

David, “Pick a side, or I’ll just shoot him!”

Shay, apprehensively, “David!”

Gerald, “Please, no…”

David, “Pick a side!”

Shay, “This is fucked up, man!”

Leon, “Just kill me!”

Everyone goes quiet.

Leon, “If you want to kill me, just shoot me already.”

Gerald, quietly, “Leon, Leon, please, no…”

Leon, “Get it over with!”

David stares down at Leon.

Gerald sobs quietly.

David breathes deeply, closes his eyes, and thinks for a long moment. He gets off of Leon, but holds his gun at him, “Come on, get up.” He roughly grabs Leon’s arm and pulls him up, “I’m taking you back to our camp.”

Shay, “What about Gerald? You want me to finish him off?”

David looks back and thinks for a moment. Finally, he says, “Leave him. Come on.” He pulls Leon back towards the Gilboan camp. Shay drops Gerald, and follows David.

Gerald sits on the ground, staring at the still-swinging flaps of his tent.


	61. S6, E12: The Guest

12\. The Guest

David leads Leon, surrounded by guards, through the hallways of the palace. Abby and Rose follow. David leads them into a comfortable-looking guest room. He turns to Leon, “All right, this is where you’ll be staying. Bathroom’s over there. You can bathe if you want to, we’ll have some fresh clothes brought up for you. If you’re hungry, there’s a kitchen downstairs, just call, they’ll bring food up to you. There’s a menu, but you can order whatever you want. There’s TV, and you can have some books brought up from the library, if you want. We’ll give you more freedom, soon, but for now, you’re just gonna stay here.”

Leon just glares at him.

David, “Hey, look on the bright side. The love of your life could come and rescue you.”

Leon, “I’m not gay!”

David, “Don’t be sexist. You could be rescued by a woman.”

Leon rolls his eyes.

David looks back at everyone else, “You all can verify that he’s being treated well, right?”

Everyone nods and says yes.

David, “All right. I’ve got other things to do today.” He leaves the room, and everyone but Leon follows.

Outside, Abby says, “Gerald has been screaming at me over the phone since 3 AM. You really need to talk to him.”

David, “He can fucking wait.”

Abby, “Do you at least have a plan in mind for how we’re going to negotiate?”

David, “Yeah, I’ve thought about it- Gerald and his family can speak to Leon if they agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities and the removal of troops to the other side of the Gath border- the _old_ border. As for everything else… I still need to figure that out.”

Abby, “So if he agrees to your demands, will he be able to talk to Leon?”

David, “Only if I’m there.”

A door opens at the end of the hallway. David turns around and sees Jack sitting in a wheelchair, his ankle bandaged, starting patiently at him.

David immediately softens, “Hi. Uh, Leon Shaw’s gonna be staying here in the palace as a guest for a while.”

Jack rolls his eyes and gives David a dirty look.

David turns back around, “Look we’ll figure something out, okay?"

  * In the council chamber with Abby, Shay, Joel, and Asher.



Abby briefs David, “Gerald and Marlene are pretty desperate to talk to their son. Gerald says he’ll agree to the cessation of hostilities, but only after he can see for himself that Leon’s okay.”

David, “What? No, that’s not how it’s gonna work, we’re the ones making demands, he has to agree first!”

Abby, exasperated, “David, are we seriously going to do this?”

David, “We’re kind of the ones with the upper hand here!”

Abby, “All right, but if Gerald tries to drag this out, I’m not going along with it.”

David, “He won’t! It’s his son!”

Abby, “Beyond that, do you have absolutely any idea what you want the terms of this surrender agreement to be?”

David, “Something binding. Something that means Gath can’t just declare war again.”

Asher, “Silas tried that, didn’t work for him so well.”

Shay, “Yeah, and he actually had Gath beat pretty good. The only real leverage we have right now is Leon. Without him, Gath can still keep fighting. Their army is in good shape.”

David, “I think I need to get Gerald Shaw to step down from power.” He looks around nervously at everyone else, “We can do that, right?”

Joel, “Technically, you can, you just have to get him to agree to do it.”

Asher, “He’s never going to agree to it.”

David, “We can put some pressure on him.”

Asher, “And by pressure you mean what?”

David, “Pressure! We’ve got Leon set up pretty nice here and we can make things… not so nice here for him.”

Asher, “So, throw him in the dungeon, torture him, you mean?”

Joel, “You don’t have to get him to agree to anything, there’s the possibility of charging him with war crimes.”

Asher, “Wait, isn’t taking hostages considered a war crime?”

Shay “Leon was active duty, he’s not a hostage, he’s a prisoner of war.”

Asher, “So that definitely means we can’t torture him.”

David, “Oh my god. Look, I know the destruction of civilian targets is a thing, but Gerald’s going to find a way to argue that Bethlehem High had some sort of military importance.”

Joel, “There’s a category called crimes against peace. You can be charged with waging a war for no reason and violating international peace treaties.”

David, “Would be great, except we kind of started this war.”

Joel, “The only thing you need to know about war crimes, David, is that the only people who ever get charged with them are the losers.”

David looks at Abby, and she shrugs in affirmation.

David sighs and rubs his face, “There’s got to be more options here, in fact, I know there’s more options, I’m just gonna need time to look at them all thoroughly and figure out what’s going to be the best one. In the meantime, I want Gerald to agree to the cessation of hostilities.”

Asher, “It’s probably best that you not mention removing him from power yet. Just let him talk to Leon and see that he’s okay.”

David, “Yeah, okay.”

  * David goes into Leon’s room, carrying a chess set. Leon looks at him curiously.



David sets up the board on a table, “You play chess?”

Leon doesn’t say anything.

David, “This is the board Silas used to play Vesper Abbadon with. Come on, I’ll let you be white.”

Leon, “You held a gun to my head.”

David, “…Sorry?” He shrugs awkwardly. Leon gives him a dirty look.

David, “I guess that’s not gonna work.”

He sits down, “Look, I’m not trying to punish you or your father here, I really am trying to make a lasting peace that makes both of our countries better.”

Leon, “Then what was the left or right side shit about?”

David’s shoulders droop regretfully, and he thinks for a moment, “I was angry, and I liked seeing your dad panic.”

Leon, “I want to talk to my family.”

David, “I’ll let you do that, but you need to play with me first.”

Leon, “Are you seriously forcing me to play chess with you?”

David, “I’m trying to get to know you so I can figure out how to do this peace deal.”

Leon rolls his eyes and goes over to David. He sits down, thinks a moment, and then makes a first move.

David, “I know I don’t really have a lot of room to say this right now, but, I am trying to do some good in this world. I just don’t always know what that good is, and I need people to help me. I know you want to end the war, too.”

He makes a move, and looks at Leon, who doesn’t say anything.

David, nervously, “I want you to help me. I- I really am sorry about what I did.”

Leon, “Don’t waste your breath apologizing to me. If you didn’t mean to do it, if you really felt terrible, you wouldn’t have done it in the first place.”

David, “So what do you want me to say?”

Leon, “That I can go home.”

David, “That’s not going to happen. Not until I can get the peace deal I want.”

Leon, “You don’t even know what kind of deal you want.”

David, “Which is why I need you to help me figure it out.”

Leon moves his piece, “Checkmate.”

David looks down at the board, “What?”

Leon stands up, “Checkmate.”

David, “How did you do that?” Leon goes over to the bed and flops down.

David, “Seriously, how the fuck did you do that?!”

Leon, “I want to talk to my family!”

  * In David’s office, David video conferences with Gerald, “I’m not going to just throw out a hasty surrender plan, I’m gonna put together something that means true, long-lasting peace between Gath and Gilboa.”



Gerald, “You want to remove me from power, don’t you?” David hesitates for a moment, and glances over at Abby, who shrugs.

David, “It’s on the table.”

Gerald, “I’m not stepping down!”

David, “We’re not talking about that yet. Right now, I want you to agree to cease Gath’s hostilities against Gilboa, and withdraw your troops to the old border.”

Gerald, “Where is Leon?”

David, “He’s safe and well taken care of, but you won’t be able to talk to him.”

Gerald, “I want to talk to him!”

David, “You have to agree to our demands.”

Gerald, “I want to see my son!”

David, “You have to agree.”

Behind Gerald, Marlene’s sobbing voice, “God’s sake, Gerald, say yes!”

Gerald, “I can still fight you!”

David, “Yeah, I know, I’ve discussed this with my advisors, but unless you have a plan in place to breach the palace, I’m the one in control here. And, trust me… blowing up a tank is pretty easy, breaking into a palace? That’s kinda tricky.”

Marlene, “Gerald, please!”

Gerald, “Fine! I will agree to… whatever it is you’re saying, but it’s not a surrender! Now where is Leon?”

David smiles with satisfaction, “I’ll have someone get him.”

· In Ashdod, Gerald sits apprehensively looking at a blank screen, Marlene sitting beside him, holding tightly to his hand, Michael and Fredrick behind them. On the screen, David walks in and sits down, Leon following behind him.

Marlene cries out, “Leon! Darling!”

Leon gives a half-hearted smile, “Hi, Mom.”

Michael, “Are you okay?”

Fredrick, “Have they done anything to you?

Leon, “I’m fine.”

Fredrick, “Of course you’d say that, he’s right there!”

Leon, “I’m fine, really.”

David, “You only have five minutes. I have to make an address tonight, I need to prepare.”

  * David gets prepped for his address, getting his hair and makeup fixed, reading the text that Rose has given him, “This is all good, but I’m not really sure about the language here…”



Jessie comes in, looking around, “David! I’ve been looking for you all day, baby!” She goes up to him.

David, “Yeah, just a second, Mom, I gotta go over what I’m gonna say.”

Jessie, “Are you still baking cookies with me tomorrow?”

David looks over at her, “What?”

Jessie, “For the charity bake-a-thon! It’s my first major thing as queen mother, all your brothers and their families are pitching in! We’re taking over the palace kitchens for the day and making cookies for refugee families!”

David, “I’ve got a lot of meetings tomorrow!”

Jessie tries to hide her disappointment, “But you always make cookies with me! You’ve done it ever since you were old enough to hold a whisk!”

David, patiently, “Things are a little different this year…” he looks back at Rose, “I’m not sure if we should be saying surrender, have you gone over this with Abby?”

Jessie, “Oh, come on, David, you’re always busy!”

David, “I’ll see if I have any extra time, okay?”

Jessie sighs, “All right. I know you’re trying you best.”

David, “Thanks, Mom.” Jessie leans over, kisses his cheek, and then goes off and talks to Jack, who sits beside the camera.

Rose, “You should join her.”

David, “What? I’ve kind of got a peace deal to work on!”

Rose, “There’s always going to be a peace deal, or a budget deal, or some new piece of legislation. Your first year as king is the year that defines what your normal life is going to be from now on. You need to choose how you’re going to live it. Also…” she thinks for a moment, glancing at Jessie, “I think she’s lonely.”

David, “What?! She sees me every day! She has her own staff!”

Rose, “It’s more than that. Living at the palace takes quite a bit of getting used to, especially coming from living and working on a farm.”

David glances over to Jessie, who laughs with Jack and affectionately ruffles his hair.

David, “All right, I’ll figure something out.”

  * David gently helps Jack into bed for the night. As Jack gets comfortable, David sits down at the foot of the bed and gently takes Jack’s wrapped up foot into his lap.



David gently rubs the injured ankle, “Are you okay?”

Jack, “Kinda sore.”

David, “This isn’t going to throw off your recovery, is it?”

Jack, “No. I’m too far along.”

David, “Okay. Good.”

Jack, “What- what happened? With Leon?”

David sighs, “Gerald- Gerald was in the Gath camp, so I created a distraction that drew all his soldiers off, and then me and Shay went into the camp ourselves. I wanted to kill Gerald. I wasn’t counting on Leon being there.”

Jack, "Seriously?"

David, "We had snipers covering us.”

Jack, exasperated, "David, you can’t-”

David, “I know! I know I shouldn't be doing that sort of thing any more, but this war was gonna drag on for months if not years if something big didn't happen!”

Jack, “Was it because me?”

David, "No! No, I wouldn’t…” his voice drops off and he sighs, “Maybe a little. I don't know. I wanted revenge, and I could have had it."

Jack, "I'm not… I’m not…" he struggles with the words, “Not for me… n-not for me."

David, "I want Gerald to suffer for what he did to you! What he tried to do to you! What he almost-”

Jack interrupts, “Dad wanted revenge! Gerald wanted revenge! Michael will get revenge! You can’t… you can't...” Once again, he struggles with the words, and shakes his head, "It has to end."

David, "Well, I've ended it, for now. Leon’s still alive, and he's in our custody.”

Jack, "Just like Gath had me.”

David, "Leon's not tied up and blindfolded in a tent! He’s in a very comfortable guest room down the hall from us! I can really do something with this! I want to do something with this. Make a real lasting peace." He sighs heavily and shakes his head, “It’s just not fair what you have to live with it- I know you hate that you can’t be a soldier anymore, and I wish that you could be there, fighting next to me.”

Jack, “I’m disabled.”

David, “No, don’t say that!”

Jack, “Disabled.”

David, “I’m allowed to be angry about it, aren’t I?”

Jack, “You don’t live it.”

David, “I know I don’t but… you don’t deserve what happened.... What would you have done, if you were there?”

Jack, “Followed you.”

They lay in silence for a long moment, David thinking.

David, “Do you think you could try talking to Leon tomorrow?”

Jack, “Hm?”

David, “I think he could really be useful in figuring out a successful peace deal, but he doesn't want to talk to me. You, at least, kinda got to know him through Prince Club, at least a little bit, right? Didn't you two play chess once or something?”

Jack, “Yeah. I’ll talk.”

  * Leon lays in his bed, watching TV. The door opens, and Jack enters, followed by Gus.



Jack, “Come on.”

Leon, “What?”

Jack, “Coming with us.”

Leon, “Where?”

Jack, “Therapy.”

  * A shooting range, everyone wearing goggles and ear protectors. Jack shoots at a target while Gus and Leon stand back and watch, Leon very confused. Jack looks at his work: bullet holes are scattered all over the target, very few hitting the outline.



Gus signs, “Better.”

Jack, “I still suck.” He looks over at Leon, and then hold the gun out to him, “You try.”

Leon, “Seriously?”

Jack, “Yes.”

Leon takes the gun, slightly hesitant. He aims at the target and shoots the bullseye.

  * In the palace kitchens, Jessie shows Amy and Mia Shepherd how to properly form cookies out of dough and place them on a baking sheet. The rest of the Shepherd family, minus David, works busily behind her.



David enters the kitchen, and Jessie looks up and sees him, “David!”

She goes over to him and gives him a big hug, “I thought you weren’t going to make it!”

James look up from where he’s working, “Hey, D-Bag!”

Everyone else looks up and greets David.

Arthur, “We were just saying, it used to always seem that David was the one who got to stay inside with Mom baking cookies while the rest of us were outside shoveling snow.”

David, “Benefit of being the youngest.”

Jessie leads him over to a work area, “Be sure to wash your hands, we were just getting these ready to bake.”

David washes his hands at a sink, “How have you been, Mom?”

Jessie rolls balls of dough and places them on a cookie sheet, “Wonderful! I’m making cookies with my family, what could be wrong?”

Sean’s wife, Victoria, approaches, holding up a phone, “I have to get a picture of this.”

David pauses and smiles with Jessie.

Victoria snaps a picture, “This is so great! I’ve been promoting this on social media all week. People are really excited about the cause.”

David, “I’m glad to help.”

Arthur’s wife, Margaret, speaks up, “What was keeping you busy this morning, David?”

David, “I was talking to Queen Laura, actually.”

Margaret, “About what?”

David, “Uh, peace treaties. She’s negotiated peace with a number of militias in Moab, so, she’s got some experience. We also talked about economic restructuring, moving from a war-dependent economy to a peacetime economy, and how to go from arms manufacturing to goods manufacturing without job loss.”

Margaret smiles politely, completely lost, “That sounds very interesting.”

James, “It sounds really boring! I dunno how you do it, man! If I had to spend all day talking about that stuff, I’d stab my own eyes out.”

David, “I’ve been tempted a few times.”

Arthur, “We were just making bets on which teams are gonna make it to the Super Bowl this year.”

David, awkwardly, “Oh. Yeah, I guess football’s still a thing, isn’t it?” He stands back silently making cookies as the conversation continues without him.

  * Leon sits in his room, reading a book. The door opens, and Jack enters. Leon looks up at him. Without saying anything, Jack goes over to a table, and sets up a chess set he was carrying.



He looks over at Leon, “Play?”

Leon stares at him, hesitating.

Jack sits down, “Come on.”

Leon gets up, goes over, and sits across from Jack.

He makes the first move, “Your husband sucks at chess.”

Jack, “I know. I tried teaching- he just sucks.”

Leon, “If you’re the one teaching him, of course he sucks.”

Jack, “I only lost to you.”

Leon, “Yeah, but I was eleven and you were seventeen.”

Jack makes a sheepish half-grin, “Dad screamed all night.”

Leon, “You must admit, Dad did you a favor when he killed Silas.”

Jack grows serious, “Dad killed himself.” He brushes the hair away from his forehead, revealing the scar.

Leon, “I- I mean, just by what happened with Silas, not- not what he did to you.”

Jack gives him a long, skeptical look. He moves a piece.

Leon mutters, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” He moves a piece.

Jack, “Talking his hard. Balance and coordination are hard. Re-learned walking and talking. Dizzy. Headaches,” He points to his right eye, “Can’t see,” he points to his right ear, “Can’t hear,” he lowers his hand, “Post-traumatic epilepsy. I was in the hospital, five months.”

Leon, “I said I’m sorry.”

Jack makes a move and doesn’t say anything. Leon makes his own move. They play back and forth a few times.

Leon, carefully, “We all knew… about how Silas treated you. My brothers knew, Dad knew… he said it was good for us, that it would make you a weak leader.”

Jack doesn’t say anything.

Leon goes on, “I- I tried saying things to the other princes- Wayne, of course, didn’t care. Quentin had his own problems with his father. Anthony said, yes, it’s wrong, but what could we do? What could any of us do? You can’t exactly make it an issue at Council,” he thinks for a moment, “I should have done better. I should have found some way, said something-”

Jack interrupts him, “Gerald meant to kill me. Talk to him.”

Leon, “David meant to kill me.”

Jack, “He didn’t.”

Leon, “You weren’t there.”

Jack, “He didn’t shoot. Gerald shot.”

  * David stands mixing a bowl of dough, and Jessie comes up behind him and hugs him tightly.



David, “Hey, Mom, what’s up?”

Jessie, “I’m just glad you’re here.” She steps over beside him.

David, “I wouldn’t miss it.”

Jessie hugs his arm.

David, “Have you been okay, Mom?”

Jessie, “I’ve been fine.”

David, “You haven’t been lonely or anything, have you?”

Mom, “No, how could I be lonely here?”

David, “This place isn’t exactly home.”

Jessie, “Home is anywhere I can be with family.”

David, “It’s okay to be lonely.”

Jessie hesitates for a moment, and then says, “I guess with the holidays… I miss your father. And Eli and Robert. It’s our first Christmas without Robert.” She wipes tears from her eyes.

David, softly, “I swear, Mom, as soon as this peace deal gets settled, you can go home. We’ll re-build the farm, have a bigger, nicer house-”

Jessie cuts him off, “David, David, it’s fine. It’s really all right. Things have changed. I wouldn’t be able to go back to the way things were, anyway. I’ve got a new life here, and it makes me happy.”

David, “I still made you a promise.”

Jessie, “As long as I can be with my family, I’ll be fine.”

  * In the evening, Leon sits in his room, eating dinner and watching the news. David enters, carrying a thick folder full of papers.



He flops it on a table, “This is the first draft of the peace deal we’re going to offer Gath. It sucks. It’s got conditions for reducing Gath’s military and turning the economy into something that’s not completely dependent on war, but, I don’t know how good a job it does. I want to keep working on it for another week or so, but without any kind of cooperation from Gath, it’s not going to get much better. In spite of all that, it’s better than nothing, and Gilboa maintains considerable power over the whole thing, so we can go in and fix things in case shit goes wrong. I still want something better. Something that’s not just Gilboa hammering Gath into the shape we want it to be. In order to do that, I need help.”

Leon, “Are you asking me?”

David, “You seem like a good place to start.”

Leon, “I’m not helping you.”

David, “Why not?”

Leon, “Because I don’t think you’re any different than Silas. You make a big show about how different you are, but in the end, you’re the same. Anything you do is just going to subjugate Gath, and I’m not dirtying my hands with it.”

David, “Okay, then. I’ll leave the plan here, you can still look at it. In the meantime, I’ve got a little holiday party going on for my family and friends. You’re welcome to come if you want. There’s free booze. We won’t even card you.”

  * Joyful holiday party- David plays “All I Want for Christmas” while Monique sings along. All of David’s family and friends are there, a modest but cheerful get-together. Michelle sits giggling in Abby’s lap. Asher wears an ugly Hanukkah sweater and Betty shows the kids how to play dreidel. Jack fits in happily with The Bros.



In his room, Leon lays on his bed, trying to read. Strains of Christmas music sound through the walls, and he flops his head back in annoyance. Finally, he puts his book down, gets up, and heads out of his room.

He quietly enters the residence without being noticed. He sees a glistening pile of food on a table, goes over, and begins piling up a plate. David finishes playing, and everyone cheers and claps. Glancing over, David notices Leon hanging in the back of the room.

David, “I’m gonna take a break for a moment, if anyone else wants to play, feel free.” He gets up, and James takes over playing.

As casually as he can, David goes over to Leon, “Enjoying the party?”

Leon, “I’m here for the food.”

David, “Pretty good, huh? One of the upsides of being king.”

Leon rolls his eyes, “This is some sort of trick, isn’t it? You’re trying to soften me, get me on your side with nice things.”

David laughs bitterly, “Oh, no, actually, I’m doing this because every single person here has been through a world of unimaginable shit because of me and my dumb ass trying to do the right thing. You say you want to go home, yeah, well, guess what, me, too. I thought a little party would be the least I could do.”

Leon rolls his eyes, “You really bitch a lot for a king, did you know that?”

David laughs bitterly, “You know you’re not the first person to say that to me. The first was Caesar Reinhardt. His widow, Lydia, is right over there, with their son,” he points over to where Lydia sits with Matthew, wiping egg nog off his chin.

David, “I know I don’t have room to complain. I live in a fucking palace, I have my wonderful husband, my family is all together, and I’ve almost made peace with Gath. I’ve had so many moments of, this should be where you stop being depressed. This is where the trauma becomes worth it. This is where you become happy all the time. And I still wallow in self-pity and get angry over nothing. Is there anything you want?”

Leon, “I want to talk to my family again.”

David, “That’s on their terms. The more they give me what I want, the more time they can have talking to you.”

Leon chews on a chicken wing and doesn’t say anything.

David, “I’ll let you talk to them on Christmas. Not until then, though.”

Leon, “I also want to go to church on Christmas Eve,” he pauses for a moment, “It’s what my family always does.”

David thinks for a moment. He glances over at Shay, “If Shay agrees to it, you can go with her. She’s Catholic, too.”

Leon, quietly, “Thanks.”

David looks back over at the party, at all his loved ones having a good time.

David, “Pulled off a decent party, at least. There’s a lot of people that should be here, and I can’t do anything about the fact that they aren’t. But I can at least make the people who are still here happy. For a little while, anyway.”

Leon, “Why didn’t you shoot me?”

David thinks for a moment, “I’d like to say I did it because I was being noble, that I’m not a murderer. The four guards we took out in front of your tent would beg to differ. I’ve killed people before. I’ve never enjoyed it, but I know I can do it when I have to. Truth is, you startled me. It’s kind of hard to get righteous revenge when the person you’re trying to kill tells you to do it. I’m used to being in situations where there is no right thing. No matter what I do, no matter how pure my intentions, people get hurt and I can’t stop the suffering. Most of the time, I just make it worse. I honestly can’t tell you how many times Alek Amal has been absolutely right about me. I went into the tent thinking if there’s no right thing I can do, I can at least do something that feels right, get revenge, but… you startled me, and for the briefest moment, I thought… _I don’t know what the right thing is here, but, this isn’t it_. So… I grabbed you and I left. Didn’t really know what I was gonna do with you. Still don’t. But, hey, it’s worked out pretty well, so far.”

They stand there, not saying anything, staring out at the happy party guests.

Jack spots David and goes up to him, “Hey babe,” he hugs him warmly, “We still going?”

David, “Yeah, just maybe when the party winds down a little bit. Do you think you’ll be okay if we do that?”

Jack, “Yeah. Sleep in. I’ll be fine.”

David, “Good,” he glances over at Leon, and then says, “We should bring Leon with us.”

  * Out in the country, David parks his nice vintage convertible along a dark road. Leon sits in the front passenger seat, Jack in the back. David gets out, puts the roof down, and then gets into the back with Jack. He wraps a warm blanket around Jack, and then looks up at the sky.



He points to a constellation, “Okay, there’s Gemini, they should be coming from that direction- oh! Did you see that one?”

Jack, “Yep!”

Leon looks up, slightly confused, “What are we looking at?”

David, “The Geminid meteor shower. Didn’t realize it was supposed to be peaking tonight, otherwise I’d have scheduled the party differently. The Geminids are the only major meteor shower to originate form an asteroid instead of a comet.”

Jack, “Nerd.”

David, “You're the one who begged me to come out here tonight.”

Jack laughs and luxuriates on David’s shoulder.

Leon looks around, suspiciously, “This is some sort of trap, right?”

David, “Trap?”

Leon, “We’re out here in the middle of nowhere all by ourselves. It would be very easy for me to just run off right now. There must be some kind of trap set up, something you can use as an excuse to put me in a dungeon somewhere.”

David, “I think we’re about twenty miles from the border. Law enforcement will be after you, but, you’re a soldier. You know how to hide and survive. You could make it, easy enough.”

Jack points up at a meteor, “Oooh, bright!”

Leon stares at them, and then opens the car door. He looks back at David for a reaction, but David doesn’t react. Leon gets out of the car. He shuts the door and stands there, still staring at David.

He looks down the road, at the darkness ahead of him, and then back at David, “Are you seriously just letting me go?”

David looks at him, “You can go. The shitty peace deal I have in place will fall apart. I’d imagine your dad isn’t going to just stand by and let me get away with keeping you prisoner. You can go, and I’d give it a month, tops, before Gath and Gilboa are back at war again. Or you can stay here. Watch the meteor shower with us, and then go back to the palace. We can put together a peace plan that benefits both of our countries and ends war between us for good. It’s up to you. Do whatever you want.”

Leon looks with longing down the dark road. He takes a few hesitant steps towards the darkness. He looks back at David, who still doesn’t react.

He turns around, and gets back into the passenger seat, “I’ll work with you.”

David, “Great.”

Jack points at another meteor, “Another.”

Leon glances back nervously, “Aren’t we going back to the palace?”

David grins at him, "After we enjoy the show.”


	62. S6, E13: Coronation

**13\. “Coronation”**

A journalist, Debora Tipton, interviews David and Jack in their living room, while Rose, Michelle, and Abby stand behind the camera, watching.

Debora, “What do you have planned for the future?”

David, “Uuuh, well, I’ve kind of been taking things one day at a time, I’ve kind of had to, things change so fast. The peace negotiations with Gath have been taking up most of my time. I’ve got my coronation ball coming up in a few weeks, so, sometimes I get to think about that. In the times when I’ve been able to think about a long-terms agenda, it’s always been really overwhelming. There’s so much that I want to do, but, I know not everything is going to be possible. But, I think once we’ve settled with Gath, I’ll be able to start putting some real plans together.”

Debora smiles, “What’s the best part of being king?”

David blushes a little bit, “Honestly? I really like being married,” he glances over at Jack blushing, and then goes on, “I know it sounds really corny of me, but, well, I have all the finest things in the world available to me, and still, my greatest luxury is time spent with Jack. I don’t get nearly enough of it.”

Debora, “Jack, you were raised to be king. You spent your whole life up to a few years ago doing your best to be a future king. Do you no longer hold any lingering desires for it?”

Jack, slightly hesitant, “No. David is king.”

David jumps in, “I’m the king, but I really can’t say no to Jack. He’s my source of sanity, and my happiness. Plus, I trust him, and I know he’s smart, so I really take into consideration what he has to say. I couldn’t be king without Jack.”

Debora, “So there’s no disappointment or regret?”

Jack, “No.”

Debora turns back to David, “All right. Finally, David, are you happy being king?”

David is taken aback, “Uh, that’s a really good question…” he thinks for a moment, “I mean, yeah, I’ve got a lot things in my life that make me happy. So, yeah, I guess.”

  * David sits in a room with Asher. David, “Gilboa is entering a new stage of diplomacy.”



Mercy Abbadon sits across from him, listening intently.

David, “Whether or not you and your siblings decide to remain anonymous is entirely your decision, but Asher and I both believe that you should know that decision has diplomatic implications.”

Mercy, “What do you mean?”

David falters for a moment, struggling to find the right words.

Mercy, “Come on. You can say it. I’m not a bomb. I’m not so delicate that I’ll blow up if you drop me.”

David, “Wayne Judd asked about you at his wedding.”

Mercy, “He did?”

David, “Yeah. Said something about how pretty you were.”

Mercy rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

David cautiously goes on, “You could be a real diplomatic asset to us, but only if you want to.”

Mercy, “You mean like, turn me over like you did with my father?”

David, “No! I mean like- as an ambassador or something. You could be really useful in negotiations with the Judds.”

Mercy, “I haven’t even made my mind up if I want to be publicly identified as Mercy Abbadon.”

Asher, “If you want to do that, we’re willing to give you all the tools at our disposal to assure that you and your siblings remain anonymous. But I have to be honest with you, there’s people out there who are looking for you, and will stop at nothing to find out who you are, and prove that you fit into their whack job conspiracy theory. Identifying yourself first gives you control of that narrative.”

Mercy, “I see your point. And- I don’t want to stay hidden forever, really. But it’s not just about me. My siblings have a say in this too. I wanted to wait at least until Gabriel turned 18 before coming forward… he’s had a really hard time with all of this.”

David, “Of course. That’s perfectly understandable.”

Mercy, “I’m not saying no. They’re gonna be at your ball, right?”

David, “The Judds? Yeah. Diplomacy and all.”

Mercy, “I really don’t care about Warner and Mae, or Wayne and the stupid crush I guess he never got over. But it would be nice to see Grace again. I’ve been thinking about her a lot.”

David, “Whatever you want to do.”

Mercy, “I need to talk to my siblings.”

  * David walks down a hallway.



Abby comes rushing up to them, “David! Turn back around, you’ve got an announcement to make!”

David, “What?”

Abby, “Gerald just said he’ll sign the peace agreement.”

David, “Seriously?”

Abby, “Yep. Leon’s going home.”

  * David, Jack, Abby, Shay, Joel, and Asher stand at the entrance to the palace.



Rose stands beside David, and whisper to him, “Are you nervous?”

David, “I just want this to be over with,” he looks over at Jack, “You ready for this?”

Jack grins, “So ready.”

A Gath motorcade approaches the palace.

David squeezes Jack’s arm, “You okay?”

Jack, “I want to see him lose.”

A limousine door opens, and Gerald steps out, followed by Marlene, Michael, and Fredrick.

David steps forward, “Good morning, Gerald.”

Gerald, “I’m not signing anything until I see Leon.”

  * Inside, Leon chats with Gerald, Marlene, Michael, and Fredrick, “I went to Midnight Mass at a Filipino church with General Mendoza and her mom and girlfriend. After that we had dinner at someone’s house. There was a whole roast pig. People kept giving me their daughter’s phone numbers. Someone’s lola kept hugging me. I might have accidentally gotten engaged at some point, I’m not sure. They sent me back to the palace with three big boxes full of food.”



Marlene, “So you’ve been treated well.”

Leon, “Yes, I have. But I’m ready to come home.”

Gerald, “Do you understand the terms of the peace treaty?”

Leon, “I helped write it.”

Michael, “You’re helping Shepherd get his revenge.”

Leon, “It’s peace. If he wanted revenge Dad and I would be dead right now.”

Michael looks over at Gerald, “He’s been brainwashed.”

Marlene, “Michael!”

Leon, “It’s a good deal. Good for Gath. I made sure of it.”

Michael, “Of course you would say it’s a good deal.”

Leon, “Dad doesn’t have to sign it. You can still go home without me.”

Gerald, “Leon, this is not easy. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Leon, “I will be.”

Michael, “So this is it? Gath is conquered?”

Leon, “We are not conquered!”

Michael, “We're not the victors here! If we aren’t the victors, then what are we?”

Leon, “Changing. Silas is dead. We can’t keep killing ourselves fighting his war.”

Gerald, tired, “I will sign the agreement. Michael, you don’t have to agree to anything you don’t want to. I just want to bring Leon home.”

  * In the treaty room, the scene is set for a treaty signing. David makes a face as he gets brushed with makeup. Marlene fusses with Leon’s tie. Rose makes sure the flags are perfectly arranged. cameramen ready their cameras.



Abby comes up to David, “We’re almost ready. Where’s Gerald?”

  * In a quiet, empty hallway outside the treaty room, Gerald stands by himself, gazing at the painting, [_Jacob’s Struggle With The Ange_ l, by Luca Giordano](https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/jacob-wrestling-with-the-angel-luca-giordano.jpg).



David, “Are you ready?” Gerald gazes at the painting without saying anything.

David steps toward him, “Gerald?”

Gerald, quietly, “It’s a beautiful painting.”

David, “Jacob wrestles the angel. Luca Giordano. I think Monique put it up because it matches the palace color scheme. I still find myself looking at it whenever I pass. It is pretty striking.”

Gerald, “Jacob and the angel fought all night. The angel said, give up, day is breaking, and Jacob would not let go, unless the angel blessed him. Jacob knew he was wrestling God at that point, and still made demands. I often wonder, what kind of man has that strength? What kind of man has that audacity, the madness, to fight with God, to look into His face, and say _I will not let thee go, except thou bless me_?”

David, without missing a beat, “Silas.”

Gerald gives David a curious look, and then laughs softly, “The God defeated Jacob with the slightest touch, and then He blessed Jacob, and gave him a new name. Israel. He who wrestles with God,” he looks over at David, “That’s life, hm? God breaks you, and then He blesses you. Right now, I am broken. You are blessed.”

David thinks for a moment, and then says, softly, “If you’d have stayed on Mt. Gilboa for a minute longer, Jack would have bled to death. I sincerely wanted to die up there. I had this plan, I’d take my gun, go out, find some place quiet, some place I wouldn’t bother anyone, and just… end it. There would be no coup, Linus Abner would still be king, and you could defeat him, easily. Gath could finally conquer Gilboa. I knew there would be consequences if I just up and ended it, and still, I… I try to imagine living my life without Jack, and… I can’t. I try to make some kind of image in my head, and there’s nothing there, it’s just blank,” he pauses, “But that would only be if Jack died. We got him to a field hospital in time, so… here we are.” He looks at the painting.

They stand in silence for a long moment.

David, “Are you ready to sign this treaty?”

Gerald, “I am.”

  * David and Gerald stand at a treaty table, their teams and families behind them. Outside, thousands gather to watch.



David, “Today marks a new beginning for the nations of Gath and Gilboa. Today is the day we make peace, for good. The borderlands will return to Gilboa, and the Port of Prosperity will be shared freely by both countries.”

Gerald, “In agreement with the peace treaty… I will resign the office of premier. My son, Michael, will take my place for a period of ten years, when my youngest son, Leon, shall take his place.”

Marlene proudly puts a hand on Leon’s shoulder, and Leon smiles a little bit.

David signs the peace treaty, and then Gerald, and then shake hands.

o Outside, the crowds cheer. People party in the streets. Confetti flies. Onlookers weep. Strangers kiss.

o In his room, Leon packs his bags. David stands at the door.

Leon zips his suitcase, and then turns to David, “Get my family. I’m ready.”

David, “Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute, first?”

Leon, “Sure.”

David, “Listen, it’s hell, being king, or, premier, I guess. If in ten years, you don’t want to do it, I’ll understand. I made sure there was some wiggle room in the language of the treaty.”

Leon, “I’ll be ready.”

David, “Yeah, you think you’re ready, but then there’s a supposed-to-be-dead war criminal in your basement, and you’re trying not to puke on live TV because the asshole who shot your boyfriend just shook your hand.”

Leon, “I think my experience will be somewhat different than yours. I hope so, anyway.”

David, “My coronation ball’s in a couple of weeks. You’re more than welcome to come.”

Leon, “I’ll be glad to be there.”

  * At night, David, Jack, Rose, Jessie, Michelle, and Abby sit around, eating pizza and watching TV. On the screen, Michael stands with his wife, Anne, and his children, Jeremy and Dorothy, at his side. Anna holds up a Bible, and Michael puts his left hand on it.



He raises his right hand, and says to a judge, “I solemnly swear to serve the people of my country, to guarantee the rights and liberties of its citizens, to defend the principals of socialism, to uphold the constitution, and to fulfill the duties entrusted to me by the nation of Gath, so help me God.”

Michelle nuzzles Abby’s neck, “I can’t believe it.” Abby laughs and savors the affection.

Outside the window, bright bursts of color and light, fireworks.

David stands up and goes to look. Down below, revelers still celebrate, dancing and laughing in the heady orange street lights. Jack comes up behind David and puts his arms around him. More fireworks burst.

Jack kisses the back of David’s neck, “That’s all you, babe.”

David looks down, taking it all in, his face blank.

  * David lies down in Dr. Othman’s office, “If you want to go back to Gath, you can. I made sure that was part of the treaty.”



Dr. Othman, “I like it here in Shiloh.”

David, “You can go be with your family.”

Dr. Othman sighs, “I was never the best father to begin with. Always away on the front, angry and miserable when I was at home. I didn’t see my kids very often when I was in Ashdod. Now, they can come visit me here. Besides, you’re a rather interesting client to have.”

David, “Don’t stay here because of me.”

Othman, “It’s my choice. So tell me, how have you been since the peace deal went through?”

David, “Okay, I guess.”

Dr. Othman, “Just okay? Such a major and historic accomplishment, not even a full year into your kingship, most people would be ecstatic.”

David makes a face and thinks for a moment. Finally, he says, “Jack and I did this interview that’s supposed to air during my coronation ball. The reporter asked me this question, ‘Are you happy being king?’ It’s been driving me nuts all week. Honestly, what kind of question is that?”

Othman, “A fair one, given your history of depression.”

David, “I’m not depressed. At least, not like I was. I’m not numb. I experience happiness, I just…” he sighs deeply, “Jack tells me that Silas used to always talk about sacrifice and how difficult it is being king. Maybe kings aren’t meant to be happy.”

Othman, “You know, a lot of people want what you have.”

David, “PTSD?”

Othman, “I mean your support system. You have your husband, your family, your friends. A lot of people want you to thrive and be happy.”

David, “Being with Jack makes me happy.”

Othman, “Yes, but he’s his own person with his own life. It’s not fair to expect him to be with you all the time.”

David, “Sometimes I wonder if something inside me is broken. Like I’ve seen so much, been through so much, that there’s nothing left that could shock or astonish me.”

Othman laughs softly.

David, “What?”

Othman, “Do you have any idea how young you are, David? I know your experience makes you feel very old. I’ve been there. But life is long. You’ve barely just begun yours.”

David, “So am I just gonna be like this for the rest of my life?”

Othman, “I can try increasing your medication. That might help. But there is no magic pill. Happiness is learned, like anything else. Some people have an easier time learning than others. Some of us really struggle with it.”

David, “Do you think I’m capable of learning it?”

Othman, “That’s up to you."

  * Jessie and David stand surveying the burned-down farmhouse.



David, “It’s really not so bad. We can build a bigger house. Plenty of room for grandkids.”

Jessie, sadly, “I’m gonna stay at the palace.”

David, “Really?”

Jessie, “I like doing the whole Queen Mother thing.”

David, “I thought you wanted to come home.”

Jessie, “I have a new home.”

  * The inside of the Church of Bethlehem is crowded with visitors in black and AFG uniforms. Up front is a large portrait of Robert, surrounded by funeral flowers. In the front pew sit Jessie, David, James, Ethan, Sean, and Arthur.



The pastor reads, “It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust— there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace. For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.”

  * In Bethlehem cemetery, Jessie lays a wreath of flowers at a new headstone, ROBERT SHEPHERD, beside Eli and John’s headstones, where David was supposed to be buried. Jessie steps back, and David steps forward. He places an AFG flag upright in the ground.



  * Jessie and the boys ride back to Shiloh in the back of a limo. David sits next to her.



Jessie, “I’m glad we were able to do this as a family.”

David squeezes her hand, “Of course we’d do it this way, Mom.”

Jessie sniffs a little bit, “I’m glad we’re all together. It- it was hard being alone, when Robert died. I mean, I got the phone call, and then I made a few phone calls, and… that was it. Nothing changed. Robert was just… gone. I went out, I told people, _my son died_ , and they’d have pity, and then I’d go home. Make dinner. Watch my shows. I kept thinking, there should be an earthquake, a fire, just some kind of disaster to signify that something’s changed. John and Eli were like missing the last step on a flight of stairs. My day changed, the house changed, I had to re-adjust my life around it. And Robert was just gone. It’s so hard to know for sure that he’s gone.”

David, “I’m sorry, Mom.”

Jessie, “Don’t apologize. There’s nothing to apologize for. I’m just glad we’re together.”

  * Jack gets scanned in an MRI machine.



Technician, “You know the drill. Stay completely still until it’s over.”

Jack shuts his eyes and holds still.

  * Jack, David, Michelle and Rose sit in Dr. Hussein’s office, looking at the scan.



Dr. Hussein, “As I’ve explained before, it’s very common for recoveries to be over after about a year. Looking at your scans, I don’t see any signs of it stopping. You’re still recovering. You won’t be exactly like you were before, but with continued therapy, I think you could get 99% of the way there.”

Jack beams. Michelle hugs him tightly. Rose wipes away a small tear. David puts his face in his hands, overcome.

Dr. Hussein, “Are you all right, David?”

David looks up, “Yeah, yeah, I’m good- I’m really good. I just… it’s been a long time since I’ve gotten good news,” he hugs Jack, “This is really good news.”

  * Gray, foggy, rainy morning at an isolated beach house that sits where a forest of trees gives way to sand and rocks. David exits the front door, dressed warmly. He looks out at the weather around him, considering whether or not to go, but then sets off running.



He runs where the waves lap against the shore, the mist dampening his hair, making it stick to his skin. The fog thickens, he can barely see in front of him. He pauses and looks around, panting and shivering.

He sees a large, dark shape up ahead of him. He squints at it for a moment, and then begins running towards it.

As he approaches, the shape starts to take form: a gigantic redwood tree, not native to these parts, lying on its side, tossed up by the ocean. David stops running and marvels at the power of nature.

He walks towards the trunk, the old roots towering high above him. He walks around the tree, marveling at its sheer size. He places his hand on the damp wood, taking it all in. He shuts his eyes and leans his forehead against the tree, as if listening to it. He stands there for a moment, and then takes one final look. He smiles a little bit, and then turns around. He runs back where he came from.

  * In the house, Jack pulls ingredients out of the cabinets. The front door opens, and David enters.



Jack looks and sees him, “Hey, you want pancakes?”

David goes up to him and turns him around. He kissed Jack deeply and passionately, pushing him back into the counter. Jack wraps his arms around David’s shoulders, and then runs his fingers through David’s wet hair.

They pause, and Jack smiles, “You’re all cold.” He kisses David on the lips, “And salty.”

David gazes into Jack’s eyes, smiling with adoration.

Cut to: In their bedroom, David and Jack enthusiastically kiss and take each other’s clothes off. gently pushes Jack into bed and traces a line of kisses along his shoulder. David’s lips travel down Jack’s chest and stomach. Jack leans back into the pillows and moans with deep pleasure.

  * Late at night, back at the palace, David lays awake. Without waking Jack, he gets out of bed, puts a shirt on, and heads out into the palace. He goes through darkened rooms, the council chamber, the ballroom done up for a ball, once strange places now his. He goes out onto the balcony, and sees a lone figure out there.



Rose smokes a cigarette.

David, “When did you start smoking?”

Rose, “When I was fifteen. I quit when I got pregnant, and then went twenty-five years without picking one up.” She takes a long drag, “Don’t tell Michelle.”

David, “I won’t.”

Rose looks him up and down, “Tomorrow’s your big day, you should be getting some sleep.”

David, “I’ve had a hard time sleeping the past few days.”

Rose, “I don’t think Silas slept a wink for the first five years of his kingship. He couldn’t adjust to not being on the front. He’d wander around the palace at night.”

David, “Jesus, I am turning in to him.”

Rose, “No, you’re not. You allow yourself to have problems. Silas preferred to be invincible.”

David leans against the railing and gazes out over the city.

Rose watches him work for a moment, and then asks, “Are you happy, David?”

David, “What?”

Rose, “It’s an important question. Are you happy?”

David laughs, “You have no idea how much that question’s been bothering me lately.”

Rose, “Well, are you?”

David thinks for a moment, “Things could be better. There’s still a lot of things that I want.”

Rose, “What do you want?”

David, “A better future. Peace, prosperity, all the good things that a king is supposed to want for his people.”

Rose, “What else?”

David looks at her, still thinking, “I… I…” he grows more serious, “It used to be that my most ambitious dream was to have my own horse,” he laughs softly, “My mom promised to get me one once I finished my tour in the army,” he shakes his head, “I guess I still want one. Some things don’t change,” He gives another long, thoughtful pause, “I don’t think about what I want, so much. Everything that I want is for other people. I want Jack to be happy, and healthy, and able. I want my mom to have the life she deserves. I want my family to stay together. I… I think I want kids, at some point,” he blushes, “Not sure about the whole heir thing. Doesn’t seem fair to put a kid through all that,” he grows serious again, “I do want to make the world better. I know I can’t stop all the evil that exists out there, but… I can make it a little bit better.” Rose smiles sadly, and looks at David with deep affection.

David, “What do you want?”

Rose shakes her head, “I can’t have it.”

David, “Why not?”

Rose, “I want my husband back.” She sniffs, and a tear rolls down her face. She wipes it away. She goes on, “You remind me of Silas. You really do. You remind me of the Silas that I fell in love with, that hardly anyone else got to see. He wanted all the same things you do. I think about him so much. I always see him, a young king, still starry-eyed and full of dreams. I’d lay next to him in bed and he’d say, ‘We’re gonna do great things, Rose,’” she wipes away more tears.

David, softly, “What went wrong?”

Rose looks at him, “Honestly, I think you know the answer to that better than I do.”

They exchange sad smiles.

Rose looks away, “I wake up every day feeling like someone tore my heart out and replaced it with some awful weight. I carry it around all day, and it’s so heavy. Silas was trying to be good, he just… he didn’t know how. Not like you do. So he had greatness. It’s up to you, now, to turn that greatness into goodness.”

David, “A long time ago, I learned not to rely on hope. Hope alone won’t win you a war. If you want any kind of success, you have to be realistic and be honest with yourself. I’ve spent so long fighting a war where hope is just that- hope. I’m kind of scared to say it out loud, like I might jinx it or something… But I think now, we have reason to hope. I’m not going to have the life I’ve dreamed of, but… I think I can be happy, and do good things.” He gives Rose a tiny smile, and she smiles back through her tears.

Rose, “Are you ready, David?”

David, “Ready for tomorrow, I guess. As for everything else, I’m trying.”

  * At the luncheon, David greets and charms guests.



At the Merritts’ table, Lawrence bitches, “I hope this is the last time we come to Gilboa for a very long while.”

Princess Ashley, “Grandpa, this is supposed to be fun!”

Lawrence, “So was the last ball.”

Michelle approaches, David’s three nieces in tow, “Hey, can I talk to Ashley for a moment?”

Ashley, “Sure.”

Michelle, “These are David’s nieces, Ava, Mia, and Amy. They want to get their pictures taken with all the princesses, do you mind?”

Ashley smiles at them, “I’d love to!” She turns to Quentin and his girlfriend, Miranda, “Miranda should join me, too!”

Miranda laughs demurely, “No, I shouldn’t! I’m not a princess yet!” She’s brown-haired and pretty, fashionable and immaculately groomed, a perfect candidate for future queen.

Ashley, “Come on!”

She and Miranda get up and talk to the girls “Hi, I’m Princess Ashley of Edom, and this is my brother’s girlfriend, Miranda.”

Ava, “We know!”

Michelle smiles and gets ready to take the picture.

Quentin, changing the subject, “Hey, Michelle, is Frankie here?”

Michelle, “Yeah, I’m not sure where, though.”

o Elsewhere, Jack’s buddy, Gus, talks in subtitled sign language to his sister Amanda, “Isn’t one of the Ammon princesses deaf?”

Amanda, “I dunno, but it’s fucking Ammon. You know those girls all came here with chastity belts locked tight.”

Gus, “I think that’s them over there. Do you think if she sees me signing, she’ll look over here?”

Amanda, “You are such an idiot. Are you seriously thinking about dating a girl who is forbidden from dating?”

Gus, “Not dating, just talking!”

At the Judds’ table, Warner leads his family in prayer, signing as he speaks, “Lord, protect us from temptation tonight. We ask You to drive Satan from off our heels, and out of the hearts of those around us, so that we may better serve Your glory.”

From her spot, Princess Grace looks over and sees Gus signing with Amanda.

Warner goes on, “May we not succumb to the depravity and wickedness around us. May we be examples of Christian love and compassion, no matter what sinful and disgusting things we may be witness to tonight.”

Gus notices Grace glancing at him and goes still.

Amanda, “What? Why are you suddenly shutting up?”

Gus keeps his arms stiffly down at his side and makes an attempt at subtly nodding towards Grace.

Amanda turns around and looks, “Oh, shit!” She turns back around, “Talk to Jack. I’m sure he can at least introduce you.”

Back at the Judds, Grace grins a little bit as Warner says, “Amen!”

Michelle approaches, “Hey, can I talk to the girls for a moment? These are David’s nieces, Ava, Mia, and Amy…”

o Elsewhere, Quentin chats with Frankie, “I’ve been to like a million of these. They’re always really boring. Except for the ones in Gilboa where shit blew up.”

Frankie, “Yeah, shit does kind of tend to blow up here.”

o At the Gath table, Michael and Fredrick sit with their wives and children, while at the same table, Leon chats with his cute Filipino-Gilboan date, Maria, “It’s not that I didn’t call you- I wanted to call you, I just couldn’t, being a prisoner.”

Maria laughs, “That’s fine. I’m glad you actually did call, though.”

Leon grins at her. Michael and Fredrick exchange eye-rolls.

o Behind them, David’s nephews, Hunter and Luke, along with Ammon Princes Maverick and Gideon, run past. The boys run past a place where David chats with Laura.

Laura, “Are those your nephews?”

David, “Two of them are, I think the other two might be Judds.”

Laura looks back at the boys, “Who’d have guessed. Maybe there’s hope for lasting peace with Gilboa and Ammon, after all.”

David, “Maybe. I’ve kind of got something I need to do…”

At the Judd’s table, an aide approaches Warner, “Sir, King David has requested a private meeting with you and your family before you leave.”

  * David meets with the Judds in a private room.



Hattie says to Wayne, “Tell him this can’t take too long, I have to make it back to the hotel in time to get ready for the ball!”

David, “This won’t take long, I promise. Or- I dunno, you might want it to take a while.”

Warner, “What is it, David?”

David, “I have someone that I think you all should meet. Or, I guess you already know her, you just haven’t seen her in a long time.”

He opens a door, and Mercy steps into the room. Immediately, Grace and Wayne recognize her Wayne gawks while Grace gasps and covers her face with her hands, tears in her eyes. Hattie looks from Mercy to Wayne, confused.

David, “I’d like to re-introduce you to Mercy Abbadon.”

Immediately, Hattie snaps at Wayne, “You told me she was dead!” She knows exactly who Mercy Abbadon is.

Grace runs over and hugs Mercy. They both laugh and cry.

Warner smiles warmly, “With God, all things are possible!” He and Mae over to Mercy and hugs her. Warner turns back to his younger children, “You see, this here is a true miracle! I thought this young lady was lost to us forever when her father ran off and betrayed me, but God has delivered her back to us!”

Mercy, “It was David’s idea. Rabbi Levinson talked me into it.”

Wayne gawks, awe-struck, “Mercy.”

Mercy, “Hi, Wayne.”

Wayne is hopelessly love-struck, “You… you still look like I remember you. Beautiful.”

Hattie steps forward, “I’m very pleased to meet you. I hope you know who I am.”

Mercy, “I watched your wedding on TV.”

Hattie, “I’m pleased to hear that, but we do have to be going so we can prepare for the ball.”

Mercy, “I’ll be there, too. David personally invited me.”

Hattie’s smile tightens sharply, “Well, bless your heart.”

  * As Asher escorts Mercy out of the room, they’re interrupted by Rose, “Ah, Miss Abbadon, I was hoping to see you. My style team has put together a few dresses for you, if you’re going to the ball.”



Mercy, “Thank you, but I already have a dress-”

Rose, “If you’re going to represent Gilboa, you should look the part. Besides, I have a few items that Silas took that should be returned to you…”

  * Up on a balcony above the ballroom, Jack and Michelle watch everything get prepared.



Michelle, “Standing up here, watching everyone get ready for a ball, almost makes me feel like a kid again.”

Jack, “Almost.” They stand and watch everything in silence.

Michelle, “I know this has got to be weird for you. This is supposed to be your ball.”

Jack shrugs, “It’s okay.”

Michelle, “I know you had to fantasize about what your coronation ball would be like.”

Jack, “I fantasized Dad being dead.”

Michelle, “I was always jealous of you. And I know, Dad treated me much better. You had to deal with all the heir bullshit. But you were the one building up to something. You were the one who mattered. They don’t make movies about king’s sisters.”

Jack, “I’d be Dad.”

Michelle, “I don’t believe that.”

Jack looks at her curiously.

Michelle, “You’ve always been a good person. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be who you are now. You’re smart, and you’re strong, and formidable. You’d be a great king, Jack.”

Jack, “I’m not David.”

Michelle, “No, you’re you.”

Jack looks at her, and they exchange fond smiles.

A door opens down the hallway, and David enters, “Hey, you coming?”

Jack looks at him, “Yeah, just watching.”

David, “We gotta get ready.”

Michelle, “Jack and I used to do the when we were too young to go to balls. Hide up in the balconies and watch everything get ready.”

David, “That sounds like fun.”

Michelle, “Eh, I used to hate balls, but I think this one’s gonna be okay.”

  * Guests arrive at the ball: royals, dignitaries, guests of honor, and the citizens who were lucky enough to get tickets in. Everyone poses for pictures on the red carpet. Everything is bigger and more spectacular than Abner’s ball, and the guests seem genuinely excited to be there. [(fashion!)](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1njyUNMRGpDmzpudiWHN6fbwWGFnzCRMW?usp=sharing)



With the Merritts, Miranda dazzles as she holds Quentin’s hand. Quentin seems anxious and ready to get away.

Lawrence refuses to smile, “I’d better not leave here in a helicopter again!”

Quentin, embarrassed, “Oh my god, Grandpa, chill!”

With the Judds, Hattie shows off her big poofy princess dress and new tiara bedecked with an ENORMOUS fucking diamond. The other princesses watch and laugh demurely.

  * David and Jack stand behind a door, waiting to be announced. David stares up at the ceiling, full of anxiety.



Jack, “You nervous?”

David, “I hate all this adoration shit. Everyone’s cheering and applauding me and I’m just standing there like a complete doofus.”

Jack laughs, “It’s easy. Smile, wave.”

David, “Yeah, but at who?”

From the other sound of the door, the voice of a herald, “Announcing, his majesty king David, and his highness, prince Jack.”

David shuts his eyes, “Shitshitshitshit.”

Jack, “Smile, wave.”

The doors swing open. David’s eyes spring open, and a huge smile springs on his face. Jack gently pulls on David’s arm, leading him forward. He’s done this a million times, and he smiles and waves with natural ease. David’s smile is forced, his movements jerky. Jack kisses David’s cheek, and David relaxes a little bit. He looks at Jack, and his smile turns genuine.

Jack smiles back at him, “Smile and wave.”

They descend the stairs, where Jessie, tearful, and Rose, finally out of mourning, greet them. Jessie gives David a big kiss.

o David and Jack enjoy their big dance. Jack’s movements are slow and cautious, but David holds him firmly.

David, softly, “Just keep looking at me.” Jack fixes his gaze on David, and smiles, slightly more confident. David beams with pride.

Other couples join in dancing.

Roman asks Laura, “Would you care to join me?”

Laura laughs, “Yes!” The sweep out onto the dance floor, effortlessly elegant and beautiful.

With the Merritts, Frankie talks to Quentin and Miranda, “Yeah, I got beaten and tortured and shit, but like, chicks love it when I say I didn’t give up AFG secrets so, like, worth it.”

Quentin, completely enthralled, “That’s so cool!”

Miranda, “Quentin, maybe we should go dance?”

Quentin, “I’m still talking to Frankie!”

o With the Judds, Hattie says to Wayne, “I don’t see Miss Abbadon. I guess she changed her mind. ”

Wayne, “People are still arriving late.”

Hattie holds out her hand, “Dance with me. Make me feel like a princess.”

o Off the dance floor, Gus signs to Jack, “You have to introduce me to Princess Grace.”

Jack, “Why?”

Gus, “I sign, she signs, she might like me!”

Jack, “I can try. No guarantee.”

o Jack and Gus approach the Judds. Grace sees them and recognizes Gus from before.

Warner eyes them suspiciously, “What do you want?”

Jack, “This is Gus.”

Gus, in rushed sign, “Can I dance with Grace?”

Warner talks and signs, “Is he deaf?”

Gus, “Throat injury. AFG.” He raises his chin and points to his scar.

Grace signs to Warner, “I’d like to dance.”

Warner, “How’d you get hurt?”

Gus, “An Amalekite shot me.”

Jack, “He’s a good guy.”

Grace, “Please, Dad?”

Warner, “Fine, but nothing inappropriate.”

Gus can’t believe it actually worked. He holds out his arm, and Grace takes it.

Mae smiles and puts her hand on Warner’s arm, “Come and dance with me, Warner.”

o Abby and Michelle swing dance with gusto, laughing the whole time. Leon is adorably dorky with Maria. Gay AFG veterans have an intense vogue-off. Quentin and Frankie dance like morons.

On the dance floor, Gus and Grace dance happily.

Gus, “I’m still new at sign.”

Grace, “You’re good.”

Gus, “Thanks!”

Elsewhere, Wayne dances with Hattie, who beams up at him dreamily while Wayne keeps anxiously glancing at the doors.

Hattie, “I never could have imagined I would be this blessed!”

Abruptly, Wayne stops dancing. Hattie looks over where he’s staring, and sees Mercy Abbadon in the doorway. She’s done up and looks utterly beautiful, a true masterpiece from Rose’s expert team of gays.

Hattie, “Oh my god.”

Asher and Betty approach Mercy. She laughs and greets them.

Elsewhere, Grace sees Mercy, and stops dancing.

Gus signs to her, “What?”

Grace, “I have to go talk to someone!”

Gus watches helplessly as Grace hurries off and greets Mercy with a hug.

o To the side, Monique, dressed up as a glittering golden sun goddess, looks on with immense pride.

David speaks to her, “You did a good job.”

Monique, “I sure did.”

o Couples lounge tiredly on each other’s shoulders, drowsy with too much champagne.

o Laura talks with Michael, “Peace with militia groups is difficult, but not impossible. A lot of it goes back to economic opportunity. People with good, stable jobs are much less likely to run off and join some fringe movement…”

o Anthony and his wife, Erin, talk to David, “It’s been a wonderful ball, but we have a baby daughter we need to be getting back to.”

David, “I’m glad you enjoyed the evening. It’s been a pretty wild ride getting here.”

o With the Merritts, Miranda asks Ashley, “Where is Quentin?”

o In a private space, Quentin and Frankie make out passionately.

o Elsewhere, Christine talks to Jessie, looking over at David, “You must be very proud of him.”

Jessie, “I’m proud of all my boys.”

Christine, “But David is king.”

Jessie, “It’s not the being king thing that I’m most proud of. David’s a good person. He’s been through a lot, but he hasn’t let that fill him with hate.”

Christine, “I guess you’re right. Not every mother can say the same.”

o Leon and Prince Steven chat quietly, and David approaches him.

Leon, “Hi.”

David, “I was just gonna call it a night, but, before I did that, I wanted to say thanks for coming.”

Leon, “Of course. I was just talking with Steven.”

David, “About what?”

Steven, “Leading a country.”

David, “Oh, yeah. Don't let all the glitter and adoration fool you. It’s almost never like this. It’s usually pretty awful.”

Steven, “You’ve only been at it six months.”

David, “It’s been a rough six months!”

Steven, “I think I’m gonna do it, though.”

David, “Do what?”

Steven, “Be king. It’s my choice. I think I’m gonna do it.”

David, “Really?”

Steven, “I’m not stupid. I know it’s gonna be hard, but, really, how many people get to do what a king does? Not just to lead, but to actually make a big difference in the world. Make people’s lives better. I mean, it’s scary, but, it’s still better than doing nothing.”

David smiles a little bit, “Yeah, I guess so.”

  * In a hallway, Gus and Amanda head out for the night.



Amanda, “Hey, at least you got a dance. That’s something.” Gus makes a face. They go on for a little bit, but then, Grace and Mercy come hurrying up from behind, giggling. Gus hears them and turns around.

He signs, “Hi.”

Grace, “I had a really nice evening.”

Gus, “Uh, me, too.”

Grace, “It was very nice to meet you.”

Gus, “Same.”

Grace kisses him on the cheek and puts a piece of paper in his hand. She waves goodbye, and then hurries off with Mercy, giggling the whole time. Gus looks at the paper and sees a phone number and a note “Text me.” A huge smile bursts over Gus’s face.

  * Up in their bedroom, Jack and David get ready for bed. Jack lays down. David crawls over next to him, and kisses him lovingly. They smile at each other.



Jack, “You’re officially king.”

David, “I’d still give it all up for you. You know that, right?”

Jack, “You don’t have to.”

David, “Yeah, but I would.”

Jack laughs and rolls his eyes. Outside, there’s a faint roll of thunder. David looks up out the window.

Jack, “You okay?”

David, cautiously, “Yeah… Yeah, I’m okay.”

Another roll of thunder.

David, “I’m gonna take a little time to wind down, okay?”

  * (["Pursuit of Happiness" Kid Cudi](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq_uy1qcO-k)) By himself, David steps out onto the palace balcony, eyes turned up to the dark sky. Above him, brilliant cloud-to-cloud lightning fills the sky, and thunder rolls. David watches, awe-struck.  




**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMFG! WE'RE ON TO THE FINAL SEASON! It's taken me a while to get it going, but recently I've gotten some great writing done and I'm really excited to be working on the end of the story. I've got a good lead going and I'll try to keep up the post once a week schedule, buuuuuut writing is a very, very, very schedule-adverse thing. I can't guarantee I won't be hit with crippling writer's block at a crucial moment. However, I'm determined to finally get this bitch finished! I can't wait to hear what you all think of it!


	63. S7, E1: Three Years Later

**Three Years Later**

Swanky palace celebration, David’s 30th birthday. He stands by a heavily pregnant Abby as guests file by and congratulate him.

David patiently explains to two guests, “It’s called co-parenting, it’s really not very complicated. Jack and I, and Michelle and Abby are all going to raise our children together.”

Female guest, “Do you have any plan for how you’re going to lose the baby weight?”

Abby tries to keep a smile on her face, “No, but I do have a plan for nuclear arms reduction in North Korea.” The guests laugh.

Male guest, “If I may pry a little bit, as I’m assuming you didn’t just wake up magically pregnant one day, how did this little miracle get made?” Abby’s eyes burn with fury behind her wide smile.

David, as politely as he possibly can, “That’s a state secret.”

Male guest, “I’m genuinely curious, with all the technology available now, you must have had a wide range of options…”

David, “It’s a personal matter that we really do prefer to keep personal.”

Female guest smiles at Abby, “Well, I’m sure you must be thrilled to be a mother.”

Abby, “Yes, I am.”

The guests leave.

Abby, keeping her smile and gritting her teeth, “I am ready to throttle someone.”

David, “I know you and Michelle talked about this.”

Abby, “I didn’t think anyone would actually be asking questions about this shit! If I were having any other man in the world’s baby, I’d be totally left alone, but no, somehow because it’s yours, suddenly everyone wants up in my vagina!”

David, “Maybe you should have gone with an anonymous sperm donor, then.”

Abby, exasperated, “Don’t be like that, David, you know what I mean.”

David, “I’m just kidding. We’re in this bullshit together.”

Abby, “Except you don’t have the gendered expectations of royal motherhood to deal with. Worst thing that’s gonna happen to you is you get called a DILF.”

Rose comes up, “Abby, Mr. and Mrs. Hooks would like to speak with you.”

Abby gives David a plaintive glance.

David, “Go get ‘em, tiger.”

Rose drags Abby off, “Mr. Hooks is a magazine publisher…”

Jessie approaches David and kisses him on the cheek, “Happy birthday, baby.”

David, “Thanks, Mom.”

Jessie, “Are you doing all right?”

David, “I’m fine. Why would I not be doing all right?”

Jessie, “You’re spending your birthday without Jack.”

David, “It’s an important trade summit that happened to be on my birthday, he needs to be there. Besides, I’ve already had plenty of birthdays with him.”

Jessie, “You sound like you miss him.”

David, “I didn’t say I don’t miss him, it’s just business! We’ll do something when he gets back.”

Jessie, “Where is Michelle?”

David, “Her shift ends at eight. I told her not to come, just go to bed.”

Jessie, “You should have more friends here.”

David, “It’s hard to make friends being king.”

Jessie hugs him, “Oh, forgive me for being concerned. My baby boy is thirty. Some days I wake up and I feel like I should still be carrying you around while I yell at your brothers to get down from there.”

David, “I’ve been king for three years, Mom.”

Jessie, “You’re still my youngest! I’m still entitled to a little nostalgia!”

David softens a little bit, “All right, Mom.”

Jessie hugs him again, and then holds him for a moment. Softly, “I wish your father could see all this. Sometimes I try to imagine explaining it all to him in heaven…” she steps back, and smiles at David, “You’re a wonderful son, David, and I want you to have a good time on your birthday.”

David, “I am having a good time. I’m almost getting used to these.” He looks over to where Abby talks to Rose and two friends of hers. Abby does not look happy. David, “I’ve gotta go save Abby.” He hurries over to where she is.

Rose looks over at him, “David, I believe you’ve met Mr. and Mrs. Hooks before. Mr. Hooks owns the publishing company that published _Lady’s Life_ magazine, and next week they’re featuring Abby on the cover.”

David, carefully, “Oh, that’s exciting.” Abby keeps a tight smile on her face. A magazine is tightly clutched in her hands.

Mr. Hooks, “I know you’ve asked for privacy, but you’ll have to forgive us, royal babies are very good for selling magazines.”

David, “That’s fine, just don’t ask for press access to the delivery room.”

Mr. and Mrs. Hooks laugh.

David, “If you’ll excuse us, I need to talk to Abby about something privately.” He escorts her away.

Through gritted teeth, Abby hisses, “Can you believe this shit?!” She holds the magazine out in front of her. On he cover is a pleasant, smiling photograph of her sitting on a couch, with the headline, “ _At home with Abby: all about how she’s going to raise the royal baby, from decorating the nursery to changing diapers!_ ”

Abby, “They’re trying to turn me into a fucking mom!”

David, “Well, that’s a nice picture of you, I guess.”

Abby, “I was in Petra doing a TV interview about climate change! I’m a fucking diplomat! I wrote the peace treaty with Gath! Oh my god!” She throws her head back in despair, “I’m going to be such a terrible mother! I should be thrilled about this sort of shit! Why am I so pissed off about this?!”

David, “Because you’re an amazing fucking stateswoman and you’re so much cooler than how you’re gonna decorate a nursery.”

Abby leans her head forward into David’s chest, “Oh, Jesus. This was a mistake.”

David carefully puts his hands on her shoulders, “Can’t really back out now.”

Abby sniffs and mumbles, “Oh my god. Your kid is kicking the shit out of my liver.”

David brightens a tiny bit, “Really?”

Abby looks up at him, “Yeah.”

David, "Abby, you know I wouldn't be doing this with you if I weren't absolutely convinced you’d be a great mom, right?”

Abby, “Yes.” Abby’s phone buzzes, and she instinctively reaches for her pocket.

David, “That had better be Michelle.”

Abby takes her phone out and looks at it, “Warner is dead.”

David, “What?”

Abby, “It’s from the Ammon ministry of state, King Warner is dead.”

David, “Seriously? How?”

Abby looks at him and shrugs, “It just says that he’s dead.”

David, “Do we have to go to the funeral?”

Abby, “I don’t, but you do.”

David, “You’re my minister of state!”

Abby, “I’m pregnant. I don’t have to do shit.”

David, “Oh so now you’re into this whole mom thing.”

Abby, “If it means getting out of Warner’s funeral, shit yeah.”

David sighs, deeply and unhappily, “Okay. I’d better go tell Rose. I’ve got a few people I need to call. Why don’t you just go upstairs and go to bed, okay? We’ve got a long day tomorrow.”

Abby, “Okay.”

David, “Ah, fuck.”

Abby, “What?”

David, “This mean’s Wayne’s gonna be king.”

  * Abby stands in the palace elevator. The doors slide open, and she goes out into the hallway the leads to the residence. She heads away from the direction of the residence, and goes into what used to be the guest quarters. In their bedroom, Michelle lays dead asleep on the bed, still in her doctor’s scrubs. The door opens and Abby enters. She kicks off her shoes and smiles fondly at Michelle.



  * In an empty hallway, David talks into his phone, “Hi, Mercy, I’m sorry to be calling this late, uh,” he pauses to hear Mercy talk, “Um, I’m calling because I think it’s probably better you hear this from me before you see it on the news, uh, King Warner died. He’s dead.” Another long pause, “I don’t know what happened, all I’ve got is that he’s dead, I guess Wayne’s gonna have a coronation either tomorrow or the day afterwards, and I guess there’s also gonna be a funeral, which I’m gonna have to attend. I’d like to invite you, if you’d be interested.” Another long pause, “Okay. That’s great. I’ll call you as soon as I know more. Thanks. Bye.”



He hangs up. He sighs heavily and puts the phone in his pocket. He goes over to the elevator, pushes a button, and goes in. He leans against the back wall of the elevator, tired. He loosens his tie. The door dings open, and he exits. He opens the door of the residence and is immediately greeted by a big, fluffy Australian Shepherd.

David reaches over and scratches his ears, “Hey, Captain, let’s get you outside.” He goes over to a side table and a cat comes up to him, meowing incessantly.

David scratches her ears, “Hi, Nuggets.”

Nuggets meows again.

David rubs her ears, “I know, I know, I’m not your real dad. I miss Jack, too.” He picks up a leash from the table, hooks it on Captain’s collar, and then exits. Outside, he stands around patiently as Captain sniffs in the bushes. David looks up at the sky, scanning for stars, but there’s nothing to see. He sighs. Captain comes out of the bushes, and David says, “Come on, Cap, let’s go inside.”

  * A limo drives through the streets of Rabbath. All the flags are at half-mast. Inside the limo, Mercy looks out at the passing scenery with an odd mix of nostalgia and sadness that goes unnoticed by David and Rose beside her. The palace is reflected in the window as she gazes at it.



David turns to Mercy, “I suppose I don’t need to tell you this, but with Wayne in charge, we’re going to need to seriously re-examine our diplomacy efforts.”

Mercy, “Warner always had this patronizing sort of father figure fondness for me. Wayne is a lot more unpredictable.”

Rose, “Yes, that’s always how it goes. We’ve had plenty of experience re-configuring our policies.”

Mercy, “You’ve never dealt with Wayne.”

David, “I’ve dealt with Wayne. We need to be careful, but the worst thing we can possibly do is to let him call the shots.”

Mercy, “Do you think I’ll have a chance to do some things on my own?”

David, “What?”

Mercy, “I was here with you for Grace’s wedding but I didn’t get to y’know… see the city. I’d like to be able to do that.”

David, “The funeral is all tomorrow, and then we’re leaving the next morning, so… I dunno, maybe this evening?”

Rose, “You’ll need a security detail if you go anywhere. You’ll have photographers following you like hounds.”

Mercy, somewhat defeated, “Oh. Never mind, then.”

David, “What did you want to see? I can probably arrange something.”

Mercy, “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

  * David unpacks in his hotel room. His phone dings and his face lights up with a smile. He picks up the phone, and when he sees the message, his smile falls.



Cut to: David goes out into the hotel lobby where Jack is being harassed by security.

Jack, “Come on! Do I have to show you an x-ray?!”

David approaches, “Is there some kind of problem here?”

Security guard, “This person says he wants entrance to the hotel but he keeps setting off our metal detectors.”

David, “That person is my husband and he has metal plates in his head. He's not a threat, but if you really believe he is, I can call King Wayne.” The guards give David a look, and then let Jack past.

In the elevator, Jack bitches, “Fucking Ammon. They know who I am. They know I set off the… the things.” His speech is much better than it was, but it still isn't perfect: it's slow and halting, like he has to think of each word before saying it.

David, “I’m sure they had orders to harass you.” The elevator dings open.

  * In their room, David pushes Jack against the wall and kisses him passionately.



David moans softly, “Mmm… I missed you so much.”

Jack tips his head back and says, “You’d be proud. I got twenty percent carbon reduction for ten percent tariff reduction.”

David stops kissing him, “Really? Damn, you’re good.” He kisses Jack on the lips.

Jack grins at him, “We're in Ammon. We should break the law.”

David sighs, "We should, but I'm tired.” He rests his head on Jack's shoulder, “Let’s just order some room service and go to bed. That sounds nice.”

Jack, “Okay.”

David looks up at him and smiles. He kisses Jack tenderly, and then says, “I missed you.”

  * The next morning, the royals all take their place outside the national cathedral of Ammon. Laura stands in between David and her now husband, Roman.



David, to Laura, “Surprised you came.”

Laura, “Consider it diplomacy. You have Mercy Abbadon on your side. Jack was able to introduce Warner’s favorite daughter to her future husband. I don’t have nearly that kind of luck. I have to do the heavy lifting myself.”

David, “Luck only takes you so far. I’m still stuck here like you are.”

Warner’s funeral procession approaches: a team of white horses pulls a black hearse carrying a flag-draped coffin. The Judd family marches behind it. Queen Mae wears a large hat with a long black veil covering her face. Grace marches alongside Gus, who’s now her husband. Bonnie is visibly pregnant, also walking beside her husband. The other girls wear matching black dresses and veils. In the center of it all is Wayne, marching with his back straight and head held high. Hattie marches proudly beside him, still in a smart black Chanel suit and long rope of pearls, carrying their new heir, Prince Ryder, in her arms. Behind the family marches a seemingly endless parade of soldiers in perfect rows.

David stands respectfully as the hearse pulls up to the front of the church and the casket is carried inside. As Wayne passes, he glances over at Mercy, and he turns his head as he passes. Mercy looks at the ground, and Wayne turns away. The family goes into the cathedral, and the royals follow.

  * Evening funeral reception. Waiters rush to put the finishing touches on the dinner tables. Wayne, Hattie, and Mae greet them all as they arrive.



Wayne greets the arriving Gilboans, with a curt, “David. Jack. Rose.” He turns to Mercy, and with suppressed longing, “Mercy.”

Mae says to Rose, “I am so pleased you were able to make it.”

Rose, “I wouldn’t dream of being so uncourteous.”

Mae turns to Mercy with a warm, grateful hug, “I'm so grateful you, especially, were able to come. Warner was always so fond of you. Really, seeing you again was one of the happiest moments of his life.”

Mercy steps back, “I’m glad to be here.”

  * As everyone waits to be let into the dining room, Jack chats with Prince Steven of Moab, Prince Hank of Ammon, and Princes Mark and Eric of Aram, “So he just died?”



Hank, hushed, slightly, “Yeah.”

Jack, “A heart attack?”

Hank, “Yeah.”

Mark, to Jack, “Come on, man, now’s not the time.”

Jack, “It’s weird. Michelle- Michelle told me, heart attacks have a n-ninety percent survival rate. Warner was healthy. Not old. Was there an autopsy?”

Hank, “No.”

Jack, “My dad got an autopsy. We knew what happened to him.”

  * As everyone sits for dinner, Wayne and Hattie stand at the head of the table.



Wayne, “Before we eat, my dear wife, Hattie, would like to say a few words.”

Hattie beams adoringly at him, “Thank you, Wayne.” She turns to the guests, “I wish that my first official event as Queen of Ammon could be a more joyful one, but thus is the nature of bring royal. God willing, the next time we all gather will be at Wayne’s coronation ball. You are all gladly invited.”

Jack mutters to David, “Getting Michelle into a modest dress. Ugh.” David grins and tried not to laugh. Wayne sees them and fumes.

Hattie goes on, unaware, “Until then, I hope you all enjoy your dinner!”

  * Everyone gathers for after-dinner coffee in a receiving room. The monarchs all gather around Wayne, “Now that the eulogies are over, I’m glad for a chance to speak with you all. My father favored self-reliance, but I intend to do things differently. I want to modernize Ammon with trade and industry.”



Lawrence, “That’s excellent thinking, Wayne.”

Anthony, “Aram will be glad to help you with this. We can do great things for both of our nations by working together.”

David, tactfully, “Modernize, how, exactly?”

Wayne, “As I said, my father was distrustful of outside trade, but I see that distrust as limiting our capability for industrial growth. I don’t expect any help from Gilboa.”

David, “That actually sounds kind of like what Michael and I have been doing with Gilboa and Gath… We’ve done pretty well.”

He glances at Michael, who says, “Yeah, we have.”

David, “Laura’s been the one guiding us. You should speak to her.”

Laura smiles pleasantly at Wayne, who gives her a withering glare.

Wayne, “There are still certain international entrapments that I’m trying to avoid.”

  * Jack chats with Quentin, “What’s up, man?”



Quentin looks over at where his girlfriend, Miranda, chats with a group of princesses who are all fawning over Princess Bonnie of Ammon, who’s pregnant. Quentin, “It’s fuckin’ babyville over there.”

Jack, “Still not engaged, huh?”

Quentin, sighs, “Mom and Dad keep hinting I need to get married. Grandpa keeps straight up telling me I _have_ to get married.”

Jack, “You like Miranda?”

Quentin, “I guess. I mean, look at her. She’s fucking perfect. Always pretty, pleasant, agreeable, and she’s never ever had an opinion about anything once in her life. The Merritt monarchy still needs an heir. It’s bullshit. I never asked to be anybody’s heir. I never said, ‘Hey, it’d be sick if the continuation of 400 years of steady rule were entirely my responsibility.’ I never even asked to be born.”

Jack “Say you're not ready.”

Quentin, “Yeah, like that's easy.”

Jack, "Get a boyfriend. Fight a war. Make him king.”

Quentin gives him a look, “So you mean you and David aren’t just spawning an heir? You're actually looking forward to the joys of fatherhood?”

Jack, “Yeah.”

Quentin, “Ew.”

  * In a fancy, spacious bathroom, Mercy washes her hands. As she dries her hands, she looks around the space, lingering, not wanting to go back out to the reception. Eventually, she sighs and heads out. When she opens the door, she’s surprised to see Wayne standing there on the other side, “Oh.” She steps aside awkwardly, “Uh, excuse me.”



Wayne, softly, “I’ve wanted to speak to you, Mercy.”

Mercy, “So you followed me to the bathroom?”

Wayne grabs her and pulls her in to kiss her.

Mercy tries to pull away, “Wayne, what are you DOING?!”

Wayne holds her tightly, “God meant us to be together, Mercy. I should have married you.”

Mercy, “What?! Your wife is in the next room!”

Wayne, “Our families will rule Ammon as one.”

Mercy, “Wayne, if you don’t let go of me, I’m going to scream.”

Wayne pulls her closer.

Mercy, “I’m going to yell for David!”

Wayne, “I loved you as a child, and I still love you today. This is what God wants.” He tries to kiss her again, but Mercy knees him hard in the groin, and he yells in pain.

Back in the receiving room, the guests hear the commotion and look toward its source. David heads towards it. He goes into the hallway and sees Wayne on his knees and Mercy rushing away.

David, “What’s going on?”

Mercy, “We need to leave!”

Wayne, “That bitch attacked me!”

Jack and Hattie appear behind David. The other guests follow them.

Hattie rushes towards Wayne, “Wayne, baby, what happened?!”

Wayne looks at Mercy, “It was her!”

David, softly, “Mercy, what happened?”

Mercy, “Can we please just leave?”

Hattie, “I want her gone! She attacked the king, she should be arrested!”

David gently puts hand on Mercy’s shoulder and leads her away, “Come on.”

Suddenly, Grace comes rushing up, signing “What? What?”

Mercy apologetically signs back, “We have to leave. I’m sorry.”

Grace hugs Mercy, and then David gently pulls her away.

As they leave, Hattie says to Wayne, “I told you she was crazy, just like her father!”

  * Back at their hotel room, Jack nestles into the huge, comfy bed while David puts on a pair of sweatpants.



David goes over to Jack, leans over, and kisses his cheek, “Hey, I’m still pretty wound up. You get some sleep. I’m gonna wander around for a while, okay?”

Jack, “Mkay.” David heads towards the door.

Out in the hallway, he gazes at the door next door, hesitated for a moment. He goes over and gently knocks on it. The door opens slightly and Mercy’s face appears on the other side.

David, “Uh, hey. I just wanted to check on you. Are you okay?”

Mercy, quietly, “I’m fine.”

David, “Okay, good. I’m next door, so if you need anything.”

Mercy, “Okay, thanks.” She turns to shut the door. David catches a glimpse of a bright patch of red on her shirt.

David, “Oh my god, what happened there?”

Mercy covers her shoulder with her hand, “Nothing.” She tries to shut the door, but David stops it.

David, “Let me get you a bandage.”

Mercy, “No, please-”

David looks over at one of his security guys, “Hey, can you get a first aid kit?”

Mercy turns and leaves without closing the door. A security guys hands David a first aid kit.

David, “Thanks.” He goes into Mercy’s room. Mercy sits on the bed.

David, “You’re bleeding through your shirt. Let me bandage you up properly so you don’t get an infection, okay?”

Mercy thinks for a moment, and then takes her shirt off. She has long, even cuts along her shoulder. The skin is criss-crossed with old scars. David tries to hide his pity. He takes some gloves out of the first aid kit, puts them on, and then takes out the roll of gauze.

Mercy, “Don’t look so shocked that the daughter of a famous madman might have a few unhealthy coping mechanisms.”

David begins to bandage her, “You’re talking to someone who dealt with being separated from his boyfriend by fighting Alek Amal and fucking a girl he barely knew,” he looks up at her, “I’m the last person in the world to judge anyone on their coping mechanisms.”

Mercy laughs a little bit. David keeps bandaging, and they stay quiet for a moment.

David, “Do you need anything else?”

Mercy shrugs, “No, not really… I- I brought a bottle of tequila in my suitcase. You want some?”

David, “Yeah, sure.”

Mercy leads him into the hotel room. She goes over to her bed, grabs a bottle of tequila out of her suitcase, and turns to David, “There’s a nice breeze out on the balcony. You can really see the city from there.”

David, “Sounds nice.” They head out onto the balcony. David goes over to the railing and looks out. Mercy sits down on a chair and opens the bottle.

Mercy, “I didn’t bring any glasses, so we’ll just have to drink straight from the bottle.” She takes a swig.

David sits down on the seat next to her, “Pass it over.” Mercy hands him the bottle. He takes a swig and makes a face. For a long moment, they look out in silence over the city.

David, “I don’t get to drink that often, because of Jack. This is good stuff.” He takes another swig.

Mercy, “Wayne always had a crush on me growing up. You would think that after fifteen years, he'd get over it, but I guess not.”

David, “If you don’t want to do any more diplomatic work, that’s fine. I totally understand.”

Mercy, “What? No. I enjoy doing it.”

David, “Good. That’s very good for me, at least. You really managed to turn around our relations with Ammon.”

Mercy, “That’s because Warner felt sorry for me. With Wayne, things are going to be different.”

David, “How different?”

Mercy, “You know as well as I do. Wayne is unpredictable. He’s vain, temperamental, and insecure. Warner had really fucked up ideas about doing the right thing, but it’s still what drove him. I don’t know what’s gonna drive Wayne.”

David, “Well, I’m kind of used to dealing with vain, temperamental, and insecure assholes, so I guess it could be worse.”

Mercy laughs a little bit.

David, “Are you okay? I mean, is there anything I can do to help you?”

Mercy, “I have a therapist. I knew that coming here would be triggering, and I’d end up cutting again, but I still did it because I’m trying my best to undo what I can of my father’s legacy. I know you’re nice and you want to help, but trust me, you’re already doing all you can.”

David, “Okay. That’s good to know, I guess.”

Mercy reaches over and takes the tequila bottle from David. She finishes off what was left in the bottle and wipes her mouth. She says, “My dad didn’t get a funeral, you know.”

David, “What?”

Mercy, “When he died. When they… when they executed him. He’s buried somewhere in an unmarked grave. Only Warner and the men who buried him know for sure where it is. Or… I guess it’s just the men who buried him know. Warner gave me a note with directions… I guess it’s just as well.”

David, “Is that what you were asking about earlier? I’m sure we can track someone down…”

Mercy, “No. I don’t want to do that. Not now, anyway. Really, we should both be getting to bed. I’m tired.”

David sighs and stands up, “Okay,” he glances back down at Mercy, “Just don’t hesitate to call me, if you need anything, okay?”

Mercy, “I’ve made it this far. I’ll make it back to Shiloh just fine.”

  * Back at the Shiloh palace, David, Jack, and Rose get into the elevator to go up to the residence. David leans against the elevator wall, “Ugh, I’m glad to be home. I need a fucking nap.”



The elevator dings open, and when David steps out, he’s immediately rushed by Abby, “Look what they fucking did, David!” She shoves a tablet into his face.

He looks at it, and his expression falls, “Oh, god.”

Jack peeks over his shoulder, “Mother _fuckers_.”

Rose, “What is it?”

David, “Uh, you should be sitting down.”

Inside the residence, Rose sits on a chair. Michelle and Abby sit on a sofa and Jack in another chair while David paces.

David, “I really, really, really didn’t want to tell you about this, but…”

Rose cringes, “Oh, God…”

David, “When Abby and I agreed to be parents, we decided the best way to conceive it would be, uh… well, the old-fashioned way.”

Rose, “So you-”

Abby cuts her off, “It was convenient! It was fifteen minutes after lunch instead of having to make like five different doctor’s appointments!”

David, “And now it’s the headline on OMGossip.”

Rose looks at Jack and Michelle, “Did you two know?”

Jack and Michelle, in sheepish unison, “Yes.”

Rose sighs, “You really should have just used a doctor.”

David, “I wasn’t going to risk some crazy bitch getting hold of my sperm and making herself pregnant!”

Rose, “You thought of that, yet it didn’t occur to you that OMGossip might get hold of Abby’s medical records and publish them?”

David, “Hey, given everything that’s happened to me, I know what’s more likely, okay?!”

Rose sighs deeply and rubs her forehead, “Given that everyone involved is a fully consenting adult, reasonable people should find nothing wrong with it. But there will be those who see it as evidence of a romantic affair.”

Abby, “Ew!”

David, “It was strictly platonic baby-making, and we were able to do it like that because Abby is the biggest lesbian I know! And I know a lot of lesbians!”

Rose, “David, do me a favor and never, ever use the words ‘platonic baby-making’ ever again. Abby, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you do have to come to expect these things, having a royal child.”

Abby, “Having David’s baby does not make my health records public information!”

Rose, “And I will have our best lawyers begin preparing the lawsuit.”

Abby, distressed, “Six months ago I was a respected diplomat, and now I’m a fucking mom!” Michelle puts a consoling arm around her shoulder.

Rose, “I’ll get started working on an official statement, and David, you should be ready to answer questions tomorrow.”

Abby, “So what do I do?”

Rose, “You focus on growing a healthy baby.”

Abby’s nostrils flare with anger, but David intervenes quickly, “Actually, uh… at the funeral, Wayne said some stuff about modernizing Ammon with like… trade and industry and shit. Way may want to, you know, review our options there.”

Abby, “Do you mean he’d be willing to make some human rights concessions in order to lighten some sanctions?”

David, “No! Oh, fuck no, but Lawrence and Anthony were both super gung-ho about it, so they might loosen something.”

Abby sighs, “ _This_ , I can deal with.”

David, “Thank you, Abby. I know this shit sucks. Let’s get to work on it, and we can at least have a nice dinner tonight, okay?”


	64. S7, E2: Defection

**Defection**

Abby’s Mom, Frieda, walks into the lobby of the palace, carrying a small package wrapped in baby wrapping paper. She speaks imperiously to the guard at the front desk, “I’m here for the baby shower.”

Guard, “Do you have ID?”

Frieda bristles, “I’m the royal baby’s grandmother.”

Guard, “Sorry, we’ve got a security alert. We have to check all IDs.”

Frieda sets her gift down on the counter, and with a huff, she pulls her wallet out of her purse and shows it to the guard.

The guard looks at the IDs, “Okay, you’re good.”

  * An aide leads Frieda down a hallway. She opens a door, and Frieda follows behind. In the room, Michelle sits at a table with Jessie, Rose, and Helen, and spaces for David, Jack, Abby and Frieda still waiting.



Aide, “Mrs. Hatch is here.” Jessie and Rose stand to greet her.

Jessie, “Oh, hi! I’m so glad that all of us grandmas could have lunch together!” She gives Frieda a big hug.

When she steps away, Rose offers a polite handshake, “Very glad to see you again, Frieda.”

Jessie, “We met at the wedding reception, didn’t we?”

Frieda, “We were both there,” she glances at Helen, “I’m surprised Ms. Pardis is here. I thought it was grandmothers only.”

Helen, "I was invited."

Michelle, “Helen is the godmother. We all wanted her to be here.”

Jessie, “Well, come sit! Have some snacks! David and Abby should be up before too long..."

Frieda, taking a seat, “Where are they?”

Michelle, "Something came up."

Frieda, "What sort of thing?"

Michelle, "You'll see it on the news tonight."

  * David, Jack, Shay, and Gen. Harel sit in David’s office, watching a TV. On the screen, scenes of chaos on the news with the headline, “Bombs go off across Mizpah.”



David, “I need to talk to Laura. A while ago, I told her that Gilboa would be willing to send military aid if needed, but I didn’t think it would get out of hand this quickly.”

Shay, “We need to wait until we understand fully what’s happened before we send anything.”

Jack, “Nothing we can do right now.”

David, “Yeah,” he glances down at his watch, “Shit. We have a baby shower to go to.”

Abby, “We should cancel.”

David, “We can’t. It’s too late.”

Abby, “It’s just our moms!”

David, “Weren’t you the one who used to lecture me about cancelling things at the last minute?”

Abby, “This isn’t even a proper baby shower!”

David, “Abby, if you had dinner with Alek Amal, you can spend an hour with your mom.”

Abby, “Two very different things. The worst thing Amal would try to do was kill me.”

Shay, "Gotta hand it to her, David, Frieda is.... kind of a piece of work."

David, “And she's still the grandmother of our child, so we really need to get going!"

Harel, “General Mendoza and I will monitor the situation and notify you all if something new happens.”

David looks at Abby, “Come on.”

Abby rolls her eyes and mutter, “Fine.”

Shay, “Good luck!”

  * In the party room, the door opens, and David, Jack and Abby, dressed more casually for a party. Everyone in the group greets them.



Jessie, "There they are!" She goes over and greets them both with hugs and kisses.

Frieda stands up and greets Abby with a frigid, “So glad you could finally make it.”

David, “We, uh, had something kind of last-minute to deal with.”

Frieda, “What sort of thing?”

David, “International diplomacy.”

Frieda turns to Abby, "Can I speak with you alone for a moment?"

Abby puts on a forced smile, “Sure.”

  * Out in the hallway, Frieda says in hushed tones, “I can’t believe you’d be late to this.”



Abby, “What? It's just a lunch so you, Rose, Jessie, and Helen can celebrate being grandmas. It was David's idea, I'd honestly rather not be here.”

Frieda, “It’s not about the lunch or the celebration, it’s that you placed your work over your child.”

Abby, dumbstruck, “Do you know what just happened an hour ago, Mom? Five bombs went off in Mizpah! Guess who has to deal with that! Moab has seen a huge surge of terrorist activity, and we don’t know what’s behind it, or what the end goals are!”

Frieda, “Is that how it's going to be? You and David, off to save the world, running away every time there’s a crisis?”

Abby, "If you came here to criticize me, why are you here?”

Frieda, “I want to be in my grandchild’s life!”

Abby, “Yeah, and it’s up to me whether or not that’s gonna happen. I’m going back out to the party.”

  * Abby steps back into the party room. She sees Thomasina has come in and is talking to David, concerned faces all around.



Abby, “What’s up?”

David looks over at her, “Uh, we have something else we kind of have to deal with…”

Abby, “Something in Moab?”

David, “Uh, no, something else.” Frieda enters behind Abby.

Thomasina, “You should speak with her.”

Frieda, “What’s going on?”

David, “We um, have some unexpected guests that we have to go deal with.”

Frieda gives Abby an “I told you so” look, but Abby ignores it.

Jack turns to Michelle, “You stay here, open gifts. We’ll handle this quick.”

Michelle, “Yeah, sure.”

David gestures to Abby, “Come on.”

  * In a reception room downstairs, Princess Grace and Gus wait nervously, with a sign language interpreter beside them. David, Abby, Jack, and Thomasina enter.



Jack signs, "What's up?”

Grace hurriedly replies, and the sign language interpreter says, “We want to defect.”

David, thinking carefully, “Okay, first of all, are you in any danger?”

Grace signs hurriedly (through the interpreter), “Yes, I’m afraid my brother is going to kill my husband." David gives Abby a wary look. Grace goes on, “Wayne killed our father. I know he did.”

Abby, “Wait, do you have proof?”

David, “How did you even get here? If Wayne's trying to kill you why'd he let you into Gilboa?"

Gus spells out a name, “I-G-G-Y.”

The interpreter, confused, “Iggy?”

David looks at Jack, “You said he stopped doing the illegal shit!”

Jack, “In Gilboa. Big birth control black market in Ammon.”

Gus, “There's also a security guy tied up in our closet at home.”

David, “Seriously?”

Gus, "Same way you got out of Ashdod that one time."

David, kinda proud, “Oh, yeah.”

Abby, “You need to call someone and tell them he’s there.”

Grace, “Are we safe here? Can we stay?”

David starts to answer, but Abby interrupts, “David, we need to talk privately!”

  * In a hallway, Abby hisses at David, "This is going to completely ruin my peace deal!"



David, “We can't send them back.”

Abby, “I know, I know, I know! But I still don’t want to completely fuck over the peace deal! I worked really hard on it!”

David, "Any peace deal we had died with Warner. We should probably send your mom and Helen home, we’re gonna be pretty busy this afternoon.”

Abby, “No!”

David, “What?”

Abby catches herself, and shakes her head, “I-” she sighs, “You’re right, I just… I just wish this weren't happening _today_.”

David, “We can open our gifts later, even after the baby arrives. I mean, most of it's going to charity, anyway, right? Hell, we can even have some interns do it."

Abby, “It's not the gifts, it’s… Michelle doesn't get a ton of days off, I mean… days off when she's not asleep."

David, "She understands that shit happens. She's been dealing with it longer than either of us have.”

Abby, “Yeah, okay,” she pauses to think, “before we do anything, we need to give Grace the chance to contact her family and tell them. They really shouldn't learn this on the news. Then, Rose is going to have to make a statement, and we’ll put Jessie in charge of making them comfortable and… is there anything else?”

David, “Mercy?”

Abby, “What?”

David, “Should we call Mercy Abbadon, have her come?”

Abby, “If you think it’ll help.”

David, “Okay, well, let's get going, then.”

  * Up in the party room, Frieda sips a cup of tea while Michelle unwraps a gift. She has three small piles going: clothes, toys, and gear. Michelle pulls two onesies out of a box, one pink, one blue. Michelle, “Oh, I can't believe it. We specifically said we’re staying gender neutral, but some people just refuse to take the hint.”



Frieda, “Well, you're certainly doing a good job of keeping it under wraps. I don't even know if it's a girl or a boy.”

Michelle smiles awkwardly, “Well, that, we’re keeping quiet, but, if you want to know, you're gonna have to ask Abby about it.”

Frieda looks at her watch, “I wonder what's keeping them.”

Michelle, defensively, “Something important.”

Frieda looks at her curiously.

Michelle, “David and Abby never miss family stuff unless it's important.”

Rose, “The unpredictable schedule is just a part of royal life. If countries ran easily, then anybody could be king.”

The door opens and David steps in.

Frieda looks him over, “Where’s Abby?”

David, “I’m sorry, but, it looks like we’re gonna have to cut our little get-together short, uh, we have some more stuff to deal with.”

Frieda, “Is it more from this morning?”

David, “No, something else this time,” he looks at Rose and Jessie, “Mom, Rose, can I talk to you in private?”

Helen, “Is it some kind of emergency? We’re just opening these gifts. Michelle and I might as well finish while I’m here.”

David, “Yeah, you can stay, if you like. Frieda, if you want to stay, you're welcome.”

Frieda, forcefully, “What is going on? I came here today to celebrate the impending arrival of my first grandchild, I deserve to know why I’m suddenly being asked to leave!”

David, somewhat exasperated, “Princess Grace and her husband just defected from Ammon. Abby had a really great peace deal in place there, but this kind of throws a wrench in it.”

Helen, “Are they all right?"

David, “Yeah, they’re okay, but it’s a big mess that Abby and I have to deal with right now."

Frieda, “I thought Princess Grace was quite popular in Ammon, especially after her big wedding. I’m surprised she’d leave.”

David, “Yeah, well, she did, so we’ve got a lot of work to do. Uh, Rose, obviously, you need to get a statement going, and Mom, you should get a guest room ready.”

Rose stands up, “I’ll get on it,” she turns to Frieda, "Thank you so much for coming."

Jessie stands up, "It was lovely seeing you again, even if we have to leave early.”

David’s hone dings, and he takes it out of his pocket and looks at it, “SHAY: call from Laura.”

Frieda, “I’ll stay here with Michelle and Ms. Pardis. I still would like to speak with Abby before leaving.”

David looks up, “Huh? Oh… uh, that might be a while. Like not until this evening.”

Frieda, "So be it.”

  * David goes into a room, where Shay and Jack wait for him with a video conference with Laura set up.



David sits down, “Laura! I’ve been waiting to hear from you. Are you all right?"

Laura, "The palace is secure and on lockdown, so I'm not in any immediate danger, but things are very, very fucked up here. Christian Wolves of Mizpah has claimed responsibility, and they're vowing more attacks. I’ve never asked before, but this is unprecedented, I need more security forces."

David, "How many? We’ll have them sent out by the end of the day.”

Laura, “John is already sending troops. I’ve asked Lawrence, but he’s said no. We’re working on Anthony, but he’s just going to follow Lawrence’s lead.”

Jack, “Ask Michael, too. He’ll help,” he flips through some intelligence papers, “Financing. CWM needs finances to attack. Where are they getting money?”

Laura, “We’ve cracked down on CWM supporters here, and since I signed the deal with Warner, he’s cut off finances there, as well.”

Jack, “Warner’s dead.”

Shay, “He hasn’t been dead that long. You really think the first thing Wayne’s gonna do as king is jump into the deep end of fucking around with other countries?”

Jack, “Yes.”

David sighs, “Yeah, that would make sense, especially with Grace showing up today,” he glances up at Laura, “Princess Grace just arrived here to defect, she says she and her husband are in danger. Can’t be a coincidence.”

Laura, “This is all just what I'm afraid of.”

David, “We’ll send whatever you need, and look at any intelligence you want looked at.”

Laura, "This is going to get worse, and I don't know how to stop it!”

David, “We will stop it! There’s a way to turn this around, and we’ll find it.”

  * Back in the party room, Frieda places a stuffed animal into the toy pile and turns to Michelle, "Where are these all going?”



Michelle smiles, "Jack and I are trying to get a children’s research hospital built here in Shiloh. A place that families can go and not have to worry about medical expenses for their sick kids. I’m also setting up a clinic there, where families can get free regular checkups and basic medical care.”

Frieda, “Oh, that's a wonderful cause.”

Helen, "I don't know much of this stuff is donate-able. Not many new parents know how to wash spit-up out of cashmere.”

Michelle, “We’ll find some way to make good with it.”

Frieda, "When are you planning on opening?”

Michelle, “Jack is funding almost all of it, but we still need more major backers to get all the insurance covered and everything. Either way, we're hoping to get ground broken some time after my residency is completed. With any luck, maybe it'll be the baby's first public event.”

Frieda, “You must be proud.”

Michelle, “Yeah, we really are.”

Frieda goes on, “On another subject, perhaps it's a bit rude if I ask…”

Michelle, "Asking what?”

Frieda, “Are you at all planning on giving the baby any siblings in the future?”

Michelle laughs, “Oh, yeah. We've talked about it. David says he wants a big family, but I don't think we're gonna have seven… really, it's up to Abby.”

Frieda, “Are you not going to have any children?”

Michelle, slightly flustered, “Oh, uh, well, you see, I- I could have kids, but there would be risks involved, because of my heart.”

Frieda, “Oh. I thought a transplant meant you no longer had heart problems.”

Michelle, “I don’t, and I could have kids if I wanted to, just, y’know, with careful supervision, but there are risks that I’d rather not take if I don't have to."

Frieda, “Has Jack had any thoughts at all on being a father?"

Michelle, “Oh, God, no, that's one big succession crisis waiting to happen,” she laughs, but stops when she sees Frieda looking at her sharply, "I mean… it'd just be really confusing, if one kid's a Shepherd and one’s a Benjamin. Monarchy and families don't always mix very well.”

Frieda, “But you're still having a family.”

Michelle, “We want to be parents! And, we do kind of have to, for Gilboa and all.”

Frieda, “Do you ever worry that your children are going to do to you what you did to your father?”

Michelle, “That- that's very complicated, and, really, none of your business. The baby isn't even here, and already, David is a much better father, and... it's _really_ none of your business!”

Frieda, “It must be a concern, though. Princess Grace just defected, and King Warner adored her.”

Helen, “Families are always very complicated, and royal families happen to have that all play out in the public eye.”

Frieda, "I understand. As a grandmother, I have to worry.” Michelle struggles to hold back from saying something.

  * David and Jack head down a hallway. At the end of the hall, Mercy and the translator stand patiently looking in on a slightly open door.



Inside, Grace tearfully tries to reason with her sisters, Bonnie and Rosaleigh, over a video conference.

David speaks to Mercy, “How’s it going?"

On the screen, Mackynzie Judd storms into the room. She looks furiously at Grace over the camera, and gives her one clear sign, “[WHORE](https://www.handspeak.com/word/search/index.php?id=3913)!” She reaches out and turns off the camera, causing the screen to go blank. Distraught, Grace sobs into Gus's shoulder.

Softly, Mercy says to David and Jack, “Mackynzie is really the one who should be king, not Wayne. At least, if you're preserving Warner's legacy and way of ruling a nation. Wayne’s all about ego, Mackynzie's a true believer. Mackynzie doesn't fuck around, she's not petty like Wayne. Honestly, I'd be more afraid of a war with Mackynzie, but, that's just me."

Gus looks over, and sees the three of them waiting in the doorway. He gently gets Grace's attention and points to them for her.

David, “Uh, can we talk?” The translator translates.

Grace sits up, smooths her hair, and wipes the tears from her face. Gus gestures for them to come in. David and Jack go and sit down across from them.

David turns to Mercy, “She can read lips, right?”

Mercy, "Yeah, just speak clearly and don't look away or cover your mouth."

David looks back at Grace, "I need to talk to you about your brother. This morning, five bombs went off across Mizpah. Is Wayne supporting the Christian Wolves of Mizpah?"

Grace signs and the translator translates, "I don't know. I don't attend his political meetings. But he would.”

David, “What makes you believe he killed your father?”

Grace, “I don’t have proof. Wayne wanted to be king. He was ready to be king. Dad was healthy.”

David, “What makes you feel like you’re in danger?”

Grace, "Wayne never liked Gus. If Wayne would kill our father, why would he spare Gus?!" She sobs into Gus's shoulder again. David awkwardly leans towards her and gently puts a hand on her arm. She looks up at him.

David, "You're safe here. My mom has a guest room set up for you, and you can stay as long as you want.”

Grace, "Thank you. We won't stay long. We’ll get jobs and find our own place as soon as we can.”

Jack raises his hand to stop her, and then signs as he talks, “Not if Wayne is trying to get you. It's much easier- less expensive- if you're here.”

Grace, "We don't want to live on charity.”

David, "And you won’t, but for now it’s best if you stay here.”

Jack, “We’ve been through this- defecting, going to Ashdod. Leaving was something we couldn't go back from. Scary. But I was with David. Not being terrorized by my dad. Good. One night, I was giving David a blow job-”

David cuts him off, " _Jack_!"

Grace blushes and giggles.

Jack smirks, "Anyway, I was," he makes [the sign for blow job](https://youtu.be/_Ml0GeHHA3A?t=17), "And I heard Dad on the TV. David Shepherd’s a traitor, he’s a liar, he’s evil, he’s gonna kill us all, blah blah blah. I realize, I don’t care. I’m not scared. I’m free. Right now, you’re free. You don’t have to worry about your brother or family, just yourself. You can do what you want. Okay?”

Grace nods and smiles.

  * Tiredly, David and Jack go into the residence. Jessie, Rose, Helen, Frieda, Abby, and Michelle all wait for them.



David, surprised to see them, “You’re all still here?”

Jessie, “We still have some gifts we want you all to open.”

David, “Oh, okay.” He and Jack sit down. David, “You holding up, Abby?”

Abby, “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Frieda, “We’re all glad you made the time.”

David, “I’m sorry we kind of had to cancel. You never can tell when things are going to happen around here.”

Frieda, “I certainly had a fine time with Michelle and Helen. Your hospital is going to be very well-stocked.”

Jessie pushes a gift toward Abby, “I know you’ve got to be tired.”

Abby, “I am tired. Thank you, Jessie.” She tears the wrapping paper off, and opens the box. She pulls out a pair of Birkenstocks.

Jessie, “One thing every mom needs is a pair of comfortable shoes!” She kicks her feet out to show off the pair she’s wearing, “This pair is even older than David, and I still wear ‘em when I’m doing palace tours!”

Abby laughs, “See, this is the kind of gift I could actually use, not a power wheels baby tank.”

David, “Did we get one of those?”

Michelle, “Yes.”

Jack, “Who sent David a tank? They should know it’s gonna get blown up.”

David, “How is a kid’s charity even going to use that?”

Michelle, “It can get auctioned off as a fundraiser.”

Abby turns to Helen, “What did you bring?”

Helen hands her a gift. Abby unwraps it and reveals a delicate hand-knit baby shawl.

Abby gasps, “Oh, it’s so beautiful!”

Helen beams, “I took up knitting when I was in the hospital. I spent a lot of time knitting hats for Jack.”

Jack, “I still have them!”

David, “We’ll bring the baby home in this, and take its first official picture!”

Helen, “Thank you.”

Abby examines the shawl, “No, thank you! This is gorgeous!”

Jack turns to Rose, “Okay, Mom, what did you get us?”

Rose hands him her present, “It seems a little silly, now…”

Jack unwraps the gift, “Oh my god, Michelle, look!” He hands her the gift, a book. On the cover is an adorable baby picture of the two of them, dressed up for Christmas.

Rose, "It's all of your Christmas portraits through the years.”

Jessie laughs with delight, “Oh, let me see!”

Michelle passes her the book.

Jessie shows David one of the pictures, "Look at those chubby cheeks!"

David pinches Jack's cheek, "Still pretty cute.”

Rose, “It started as something to send to Silas on the front to cheer him up. Jack and Michelle were so popular as the little prince and princess, I kept it going. It turned into our little tradition. It’s one I hope you're going to continue with the baby.”

Jack, “Of course!”

Jessie, “We need some baby pictures of Abby! Something to compare to if the baby looks like her!”

Frieda, “I don’t have very many. Frank was fighting, too, and I didn’t have time for sentimental things like that.”

Jessie, “You must have at least one.”

Frieda, “I’ll have to look.”

She places her gift on the table, “Here’s my gift.” The box is rather small. Abby takes the box and opens it. She pulls out a string of yellow amber beads. Everyone looks curiously at it.

Frieda, “It’s a teething necklace made of amber. When it’s against the baby’s skin, it heats up and the minerals in it release. It relieves pain and inflammation and reduces drooling.”

Michelle knows this is all bullshit pseudo-science, but she holds herself back from saying something.

David, carefully, he also knows this is bullshit, “Oh, yeah, I think I’ve heard of those. Thanks.”

Rose, “Baby’s first jewelry, always important.”

Helen looks at her watch, “It’s pretty late. We should all probably be getting ready for bed.”

Abby, “Thank you so much for the shawl, it’s really so beautiful.”

Frieda straightens her back, seeing that her gift wasn’t nearly as well-received as the others, "I'll call a ride-share."

David, "We can send you home with a driver.”

Frieda, “No, thank you, I’m not that fancy.”

David, “You sure?”

Frieda, “I prefer providing for myself. However, Abby, would you mind seeing your dear mother out?”

Abby, “Sure.”

  * Abby and Frieda walk down a hallway, out toward the darkened palace lobby.



Abby, awkwardly, “Thanks for coming, Mom. I know you want to be a grandmother, and it gets a lot more complicated when your grandchild is the next ruler of Gilboa.”

Frieda, “I’m glad you’re allowing me in.” They reach the end of the hallway, and stop walking.

Abby, “Can you do me just one favor, and at least make an effort to like David? I know you blame him for Dad, but you have to understand, Dad made a choice-”

Frieda cuts him off, “This isn’t about your father.”

Abby, “David has saved my life, and not just with the Amalekites!”

Frieda, “Abby, it’s not David that I have a problem with! It’s that you’re bringing a child into David’s mess!”

Abby, “Just say you don’t like David.”

Frieda, “He didn’t like my gift.”

Abby, “Yeah, I’ve heard of these amber necklaces, they’re a bunch of pseudo-science bullshit and a huge choking risk! Michelle has pulled amber beads out of children’s throats!”

Frieda rolls her eyes, “Being a princess wasn't enough for her, she had to be a doctor, as well. Why are you the one carrying the baby, when Michelle could have a child that’s a Shepherd and Benjamin heir?”

Abby, “Michelle has heart risks that I don’t!”

Frieda, “I don’t fully believe that. Her heart didn’t have any risks when she was running around on a battlefield.”

Abby, “Pregnancy is something completely different!”

Frieda, sarcastically, “And I’m sure the Benjamin legacy has nothing to do with that.”

Abby, “What, do you want me to say that we’re afraid of passing Silas’s crazy onto our child? Yeah, there’s that, and there’s a very real genetic heart condition that we’re all afraid of, and we’re just not gonna take any chances with it!”

Frieda, “I want to be in this child’s life.”

Abby, “If you want to be in the baby’s life, then you need to respect me and David and Jack and Michelle as parents!”

Frieda, “Who is going to raise the child when some coup comes along and you all get killed?”

Abby looks at her, exasperated, shaking her head in dismay, “Helen. She’s the godmother. That’s how being a godparent works. And David’s not going to be overthrown.”

Frieda, “Royal families aren’t happy families.”

Abby, “Yeah, well, it’s not like you and dad knew shit about having a happy family, either, did you? Go get in your ride. If you come back, it’ll be on my invitation.”

She walks away, and Frieda watches her. Frieda looks on angrily for a moment, and then straightens her back. She heads towards the door and steps out.

Outside, it’s raining heavily. Frieda sees the headlights of a car shining in the rain. In vain, she covers her head with her purse and hurries out as fast as she can on her high heels. The car door opens.

Frieda yells at the driver, “Who are you here for?”

Driver, “Frieda?”

Frieda gets in.

Driver, “Big meeting with the king?”

Frieda, burying her fury, “124 Pineway Court.”

Driver, “Yes ma’am.” Frieda fastens her seatbelt and looks up at the palace. Light still shines in the windows of the upper floors. The car pulls away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some aesthetics for Grace's wedding: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1naKcbBEM0hCyVhDro1vbUnJW-oJZiDWU The wedding dress model actually came to be my face claim for Grace, too.


	65. S7, E3: The Newcomer

**The Newcomer**

Laura talks to a video conference with David, Lawrence, Anthony, John, and Michael, “I have tried calling for Council, and Wayne has refused me! Even if he accepted, I don’t have time! The Christian Wolves of Mizpah are attacking my military headquarters as we speak! If I don’t get additional support, and get it now, I am going to be overthrown!”

Lawrence, “I commend the job you have done bringing order to Moab, Laura, but given your country’s history, perhaps this is inevitable.”

Laura, “It will not be inevitable if I get the support I need!"

Lawrence, "Yes, but how much more support are you going to need?"

John, "Samaria is sending support."

David, "As is Gilboa.”

Michael, “And Gath."

Lawrence, “I’m not sending Edomians to die for a lost cause.”

Laura, “Moab is not a lost cause! It _will_ be a stable country! Damian Meyer could have been a great king, if he'd have gotten an ounce of military support, but you let him fall!”

David speaks up, “I believe that the CWM is currently being supported by Ammon, just as it was in the past. Princess Grace agrees with my assessment that King Wayne is trying to push his father’s beliefs and agenda into other countries. If Moab falls, Edom could be next.”

Lawrence, “Edom can stand on its own, without outside support!”

Anthony, speaking up nervously, “I agree with Lawrence. It isn’t worth sending Aramian soldiers.”

Laura, "You are siding with these terrorists! Your failure to act will forever be a part of your legacy-”

There's a sudden loud noise outside Laura’s door. A swarm of security guys hurry in, one says, “Your Majesty, we have to get you to a secure location!"

David, "Laura?" Her feed goes blank.

Lawrence sighs, “That'll be the last time we hear from her." David stands up.

  * David bursts into Abby and Michelle’s new residence at the palace. Abby, casually dressed and as big as she’s ever been, long with Jack and Jessie, are putting the last touches on the baby-proofing.



David, “Abby, we have something to do!”

Abby, “You’re the king, but you’re still supposed to knock.”

David, “Laura’s about to be overthrown, and I have to go to Moab to stop it.”

Abby grows more serious, “They know you’re coming, right?”

David, “Yes.”

Jack, “CWM again?”

David, “Yes.”

Jack, “Is Wayne behind it?”

David, “Probably, but he’s not saying anything.”

Jessie, “David, you can’t leave, the baby’s almost here.”

David, “The due date is two weeks away.”

Jessie, “Babies arrive on their own schedule. You came a week early.”

David, “It’s kind of an emergency, Mom!”

Abby, “What do I need to do?”

David, “Lawrence and Anthony are still denying support, do you think you can work on them?”

Abby, “I can try. I honestly don't know what I can do.”

Jack, “Lawrence will never budge, and Anthony will do whatever Lawrence does.”

Abby, “What about the CWM themselves, are they saying anything? Are there any hostages?”

Jessie, “You need to be relaxing.”

Abby, “David’s right, this is kind of an emergency. We have to deal with it.”

Jessie sighs and knits her eyebrows in concern, “I don’t like it when you just run into these things.”

David, “Laura is our closest ally, and if she gets overthrown, we are beyond fucked.”

Jessie, “ _Language_!”

David, “If we don’t deal with this now, it’s gonna make it a lot harder for me and Abby to be parents.”

Abby, “David, you go get on a plane. I’ll get everything set up. We can talk when you’re on the way.”

David, “Jack can look after Abby while I’m gone, okay?”

Jack, “Yeah, I’ll be here.”

Jessie nods, “You do what you have to do.”

  * David, Shay, and Joel sit in the cabin of David’s royal plane, while Jack, Asher, and Abby join in on video. They all watch a video of Duncan Penzak, the young, blonde, and handsome man calling himself the leader of the Christian Wolves of Mizpah.



Penzak, “I call on the Christian men of the world to join me. The time has come to overthrow Queen Laura Wall. The Christian Wolves of Mizpah takes responsibility for the recent bombing attacks…”

Jack, “He looks like you.”

David, “What? He’s blonde, but I don’t see anything else.”

Jack, “More than that.”

David, "What's his name, again?”

Abby, "Duncan Penzak.”

David, "And what's his deal? Has he like… done anything heroic?”

Abby, “Robbed some banks, made a big show of it.”

David rolls his eyes, “It’s not heroic if you’re the only person with a gun.”

Penzak, “As Christians, we ask, what must be done? Queen Laura has perverted God’s perfect, natural order by leading a country. She misleads us with the lies of feminism, humanism, and progressivism.”

Asher, “Huh. They’re appealing to their base, not going for popularism.”

David, “Yeah, so?”

Asher, “When Warner and the Christian Front were fighting for control of Ammon, they gained support from the public by basing much of their rhetoric on the fact that Allen White was a terrible king. People supported the heroes who were fighting for a better future. Once you agree to that, the fundamentalism becomes much more palatable. People will put up with authoritarianism if it means they have a job and a government that looks after their needs. CWM is skipping all that and going straight for the fringe.”

David, “So what does that mean?”

Asher shrugs, “Probably that they don’t need popular support in Moab. Their support is coming in from elsewhere.”

Joel, “They’re sending their propaganda outside of Moab. They’re seeking bored, disaffected, and insecure men young looking for meaning in their lives and something to fight for.”

David, “That’s what Amal did.”

Joel, “Same shit, different asshole.”

Asher, “Extremists are all the same, no matter their religion.”

Penzak, “We must resist! We must demand that our leaders honor God! We must demand our authority as men! The time has come for Queen Laura to be removed!”

Jack, “He’s copying you! A-Ashdod! When you interrupted Dad!” He pulls up a video of David on his phone, “We must resist! We must demand honesty from our leaders…”

Abby, “I wrote that fucking speech. Do they know they’re plagiarizing a woman?”

  * A helicopter lands outside the back of the Palace of Moab. The door is opened and David, Shay, and Joel jump out. They go into the palace.



A Moabian officer leads them into a secure room where Laura waits for them, “Your Majesty, King David is here to see you.”

Laura gets up and greets David with a hug, “Thank you so much for coming. I know your baby is almost due.”

David, “I wouldn't dream of letting anything happen to you."

Laura steps back, “I would have had you driven in, but the city is so unsafe, the only way we could get you here was helicopter," she shudders, “It's never been this bad. And it's been bad. I-” she hesitates a moment, “I think they have operatives in my military and police.”

David, “Are they really that popular?”

Laura, “It’s not the ideology. It’s the potential benefits. Positions of power. Lots of money. The way things used to be here.”

David, “They're trying to overthrow you, I spent a lot of time trying to overthrow Silas. I know how these guys think. Even better, they're trying to be me. We’re gonna beat them, okay? The big thing is gonna be getting Penzak.”

Laura nods, “I hope so."

Joel speaks up, “The big thing is going to be purging the operatives from your ranks and punishing them as necessary.”

Laura, “That’s going to be difficult. They’re very well-embedded.”

Joel, “Traitors tend to show their true colors when they think they’re about to win. What do you know about the leadership?”

Laura sighs, “They've always been loose, but organized. They’ve had a few generals that we’ve managed to take care of, but none of them seemed to love the spotlight the way Penzak does.”

Shay, "Are you trying to take him alive?"

Laura, “These men make martyrs of themselves so well. I’m sure he wants to die. I hate to give him what he wants.”

David, "What would you do, if you caught him alive?”

Laura, "Put him on trial. Show the world he's a criminal, not some brilliant leader."

Shay, “He’s not a brilliant leader. He’s copying David. Do you know how dumb David is most of the time?”

Laura laughs uneasily. Suddenly, there's the sound of an explosion outside. David goes over to the window, but a security guy pushes him back, “Sir, get away from the windows!” Security guys scramble.

Laura, “What? What’s going on?"

Chief security guy, “Your Majesty, it looks like we're going to have to move you and King David to a secure location.”

Laura, "Are they attacking the palace?”

Chief security guy, “We have to move!”

  * Jack sits in Abby's office.



Abby waits on the phone, “King David is in Moab right now. It’s vital that King Lawrence grant immediate aide… Yes… Yes... I understand, but…” she sighs heavily, "Okay thank you.” She slams the phone down, "What the fuck is Lawrence even up to, _playing golf_?”

Jack, “You know it’s a dead end, right?"

Abby, “Yes, but I need to keep trying."

Jack, "Abby, you’ve been at it for hours. Nothing you can do."

Abby, "I have to do something.”

Jack, “No you don’t. Not to be a bitch, but Jessie’s kind right. Nothing to do, you should relax.”

Abby gives him a dirty look.

Jack, "How the fuck are you going to survive three months of maternity leave?”

Abby, “It’s hard to relax when there’s shit happening! How the fuck do you relax?”

Jack, “My good friend, reality TV.”

Abby, “You had a traumatic brain injury, and you still rot what’s left of your brain with that?”

Jack, “Helped me survive the hospital. I get a migraine, it distracts me. I watch someone else's problems.”

  * In a secure situation room deep within the palace, Laura, Steven, David, Shay, and Joel are all briefed by Laura’s top general, General Raymond, “CWM has breached the palace. We're slowing them down as best we can, but they're still advancing. The time has come to consider evacuating.”



David, “Gilboan reinforcements are coming."

Raymond looks at Laura, "Your Majesty?”

Laura, “They couldn't have gotten in without inside help. The troops we have inside… are they actually going to fight?”

Raymond, “We’re still fighting.”

Laura looks at David. In a halting voice, she says, "It's probably best that you leave."

David, “No way! I’m not leaving until I absolutely have to!"

Laura stands up, goes to David, and puts her hands on his arms, “David… I knew this was coming. I know my country. I know its history. I’m lucky to have made it this long.”

David, “Don’t talk like that.”

Laura, “If it comes down to it, I want Steven to go back to Gilboa with you.”

David, “What?”

Laura, “Steven will go to Gilboa where he can live out the rest of his life in safety, but I’m not going into exile. I will die before I let Moab fall.”

David, “Laura, that’s not going to happen, do you hear me? I can’t lose you as an ally, and I’m staying here with you, okay?”

Laura, “Don’t be stupid.”

Shay, “Reinforcements are coming! We brought our best!”

David, “As long as we have Shay, we’ll be okay. She’s saved my dumb ass more times than I care to count."

Shay, "We need a better plan than just ‘fight our way out.’ Our best bet is gonna be slowing CWM down until we can get the Queens here.”

David sighs heavily, sits down, and thinks, “Do you think they'd be willing to negotiate something?"

Laura, “Negotiate what?"

David, "Anything. We won't actually give them anything, just create a red herring long enough to get the reinforcements here.”

Joel, "It'd have to be with a pretty high-level target. Someone who can actually give them what they want."

David, “I can do it."

Laura, "Terrorists don't negotiate, they kill! Penzak is desperate to make a hero of himself, can you imagine how much he'd love to be the one who kills you?”

David, "Then we demand he go in alone and unarmed! I still know how to fight!"

Steven speaks up, “I'll go."

Laura, "No. No. Absolutely not. Putting you in danger is the one thing I'm unwilling to do."

Steven, “It makes more sense for me to go that David."

Laura, “I was a mom long before I could even imagine being queen.”

David, “We need to send someone out, or we’ll have to evacuate!"

Steven, calmly, “Mom."

Laura turns to him, tears in her eyes.

Steven goes on, “I'm not a king yet, but it's time for me to act like one. I can't run to Gilboa when the country's in danger."

Shay, "Once we have the Queens in position, we can use the bait to catch Penzak.”

Laura, “No. I- I can’t. I can't.”

  * Jack and Abby sit watching TV and eating ice cream. Nuggets purrs in Jack's lap, receiving pets.



Abby, "I don't get it, why are they all trying to marry him?”

Jack, "He's a millionaire."

Abby, "So? No amount of money is worth a lifetime of bad dick."

Jack, "You're a lesbian. What do you know about dick?"

Abby, "I know what your sister does with a strap-on."

Jack, "Oh my god, I’m traumatized! Already! Already traumatized!”

Abby, "Besides, I was married once, remember?"

Jack, “Yeah. _Norman,"_ he sneers with disgust, "Why the fuck did you marry him?”

Abby, "Why the fuck were you dating Katrina Ghent? It's what my parents wanted. He didn't seem that bad at first. Ha came from a rich family, and my dad said he had a good career in front of him. Turns out he didn't like having a wife who wanted a good career, too." She makes a face, “So many men just want a mommy they can fuck on demand,” she pats her baby, "Not this baby, though. He's gonna know how to do his own damn laundry.”

Jack, "Michelle doesn't know laundry."

Abby, “ _Exactly_ , why do you think I’m making sure my kid knows how to do it?”

Jack, "You know, I went wrong. I should have married you."

Abby, “What?!”

Jack, “We get along. We’re parents. I go fuck David, you go fuck Michelle. Easy.”

Abby laughs, "No way. I’m not nearly pretty enough. Rose would never let me marry you.”

Jack, “Mom was very desperate. Would you say no?”

Abby, “Probably not.”

Jack, “I’m better than most straight guys. I know where the clitoris is.”

Abby grimaces and puts a hand on her belly.

Jack, "You okay?”

Abby, “Yeah, I just-” her expression falls, “Oh, fuck. Fuck me."

Jack, "What?"

Abby, “Goddamnit! Of course it's gonna happen right now!”

Jack, “Oh my god, are- are you in labor?"

Abby, "You're gonna need someone to clean your couch."

  * In the situation room, the sound of gunfighting can be plainly heard.



Gen. Raymond, "How much more time until the reinforcements arrive?"

Shay, "We need more time.”

Raymond, “You and King David need to leave.”

David, “Even if we wanted to leave, getting us out would involve an extraction plan! The best thing we can do right now is to try a negotiation!” His phone buzzes. He grabs it and sees, that it’s Michelle.

Shay, “What is that?”

David, “It’s Michelle, uh… I- I should probably answer this privately,” he looks back at Shay, “But call Penzak, or whoever it is that’s gonna handle a negotiation. We don’t have any choice.”

He goes over to a semi-secluded area of the room, and answers his phone, “Michelle?”

Michelle answers, standing on the outside of hospital room, “Hey, uh, Abby's kind of in labor."

David, "What?"

Michelle, "She's dilated at only two centimeters.”

David, “What does that mean?"

Michelle, “It means that the cervix usually expands at once centimeter per hour. It takes six hours for you to get from Mizpah to Shiloh. If you leave right now, you might make it in time.”

David, “I….” He struggles to think of the right words.

Michelle, “Can you leave?”

David, “I can’t discuss it over the phone.”

Michelle, “Okay.”

David, "Tell Abby-”

Michelle, "David, you do what you need to do. Whatever happens, happens.”

David, “I want to be there."

Michelle, "I know you do."

David, “I- I…” he falters, “I have to go.”

Michelle, “I’ll call you if anything happens.”

David, “Yeah. Okay.”

Michelle, “Bye.”

David, “Bye.” His hand drops to his side.

Behind him, Shay appears, “David?”

He doesn't respond.

Shay, "Is something up with Abby?"

David, "She's okay. She- she's in labor.”

Shay, "Seriously?"

Steven stands up, “Yeah, there’s no way he can go out there now. It’s gotta be me who does it.”

Laura shuts her eyes and presses her hands against her face, "Just make sure you're not alone.”

  * Abby lays in the hospital bed, groaning, gritting her teeth, and squeezing Jack’s hand, “Oh my god, where is the fucking epidural?!”



Michelle, “They’re getting the medicine and the anesthesiologist. It’s going to take a little while.”

Abby, “I’m about to deliver the anesthesiologist’s future king!”

Michelle, “And you’re in here earlier than we expected. It usually takes a half hour for the medicine to arrive, and then another half hour for the anesthesiologist to arrive after that.”

Abby, “Motherfucker!” She clenches down on Jack’s hand, and Jack cries out with pain, “Aaah!”

Abby, panting, “Michelle, call Lawrence.”

Michelle, “What?”

Abby, “Take my phone and call King Lawrence.”

Michelle, “Why?”

Abby, “So help me God, I am going to get Edomian aid to Moab!”

Cut to: Lawrence’s POV on a tablet screen: Abby in a hospital gown, sitting on the edge of her bed, with an anesthesiologist swabbing her back down, “I’m sterilizing the area to prevent any infection.”

In his office, Lawrence watches it all on a tablet, “Good God, I was told you were at the hospital, I didn’t believe you were actually in labor!”

Abby, “Yeah, and David’s not here to watch the birth of his child because he’s in Moab, stopping a coup without your fucking help!”

Anesthesiologist, “You’re gonna feel a little pinch, that’s the local anesthetic numbing you up before I insert the big needle.”

Lawrence, “This is obscene!”

Abby, “It’s obscene that you’re actively fucking up this child’s future!”

Lawrence, “It’s too late. It’s too far into the crisis, any support I send now will be completely useless.”

Abby, “Even if the crisis is fully averted, long-term support is going to be critical! Laura’s position as queen has to be secured and made safe, and any remaining CWM cells and operatives eliminated!”

Lawrence, “I am not sending my troops to stay in Moab indefinitely!”

Abby, “Motherfucker! Aaaaagh!” She grimaces with another contraction.

Lawrence, “Are you all right, Minister Benjamin-Hatch?”

Anesthesiologist, “Okay, I think I can stick the epidural needle in, now.”

Abby re-gains control of herself with a loud moan, “Sending support now ensures that there will be no further need in the future! Moab is unstable because it has never been given stability! Stability in Moab means stability in Gilboa, which means this baby won’t miss the glorious birth of his first child because he’s still fighting the Christian fucking Wolves of Mizpah! Stability in Moab can only benefit Edom politically and economically!”

Anesthesiologist, “You’re gonna have to be still so I can get the needle in the right way.”

Lawrence, “You are in no condition to be negotiating right now.”

Abby, “I’m not negotiating shit, I am making demands! Laura is the most successful and beloved monarch that Moab has had in its existence, and she’s still not as popular as David! If David misses the birth of his heir, and Laura still gets overthrown, he will go to every major news outlet in North America and spell it out explicitly, this is all King Lawrence Merritt’s fucking fault! King Lawrence does not give a shit! He sits in his palace singing let them eat cake while the world crumbles around him! David will speak to the people of Edom, and the people of Edom will be _pissed_!”

Lawrence, trying to hide the fact that he’s shook, “David can’t possibly inspire a revolt in Edom.”

Abby, “Wanna bet?” She doubles over and cries out in pain, “Motherfucker, put the fucking needle in!”

Anesthesiologist, “Hold still!” The anesthesiologist jams the needle into Abby’s spine, and pushes the plunger on the syringe. Lawrence sighs and looks away awkwardly.

Anesthesiologist, “You should be feeling it now, but it’ll take about fifteen minutes for the full effect. If you still feel pain, we can give you more.”

Abby, sighing with relief, “Thank you.”

Lawrence, “If David succeeds in defending Laura… IF he succeeds… I will consider sending Edomian troops to help secure stability in Moab.”

Abby, “I’m not considering anything, either you will or you won’t.”

Lawrence, “If David succeeds.”

Abby, “You’ll send support!”

Lawrence, “I will send support!”

Abby, “So now I can give birth knowing that this isn’t a problem my child will have to be dealing with.”

Lawrence, “Yes. I’m going to leave you now to deliver your child. You have my warmest congratulations.” He shuts the stream off.

Jack, “Holy shit!”

Abby falls back into the bed, smiling and panting with relief, “Okay. Now let’s get this baby out of me.”

Michelle, “Probably still gonna be a while.”

Abby, “Fuck!”

  * In the ruined Moab throne room, Duncan Penzak sits smirking on the throne.



In the situation room, Shay and David watch on a screen.

Shay leans in, scrutinizing the image, “Is he wearing a fucking jacket?”

David, “What?”

Shay, “Those motherfuckers have jackets, just like we had jackets!”

Joel snorts with laughter.

Shay asks over the radio, “Are you in position?”

Radio, “We need a few more minutes, we’ve still got some resistance.”

Steven stands nervously behind the doors going into the throne room, still shut. He sighs and paces.

David, “We can’t take too long. Penzak will balk.”

Shay, “They get there when they get there.”

In the throne room, Penzak impatiently looks at his watch and gets up. On the other side of the door, Steven is startled when the doors bang open.

Penzak stares at him, “The hell are you waiting for?”

Steven steps back, startled for a moment, but then straightens his back, “Penzak, right?”

Penzak, “Come on, we got things to discuss.” He turns his back and returns to the throne room. Steven hesitates for a moment, and then follows him.

Back in the situation room, Laura pleads, “Why is he alone? Where are the reinforcements? Send someone in!”

David, “If we send someone in, they’ll send someone in, it’ll be a big, bloody fight!” They turn their faces to the screen.

Back in the throne room, Penzak says, “You came here to negotiate, so start negotiating.”

Steven thinks for a moment- he was never actually told what to say.

Penzak, “I’ll tell you right now, you don’t have much room to negotiate. We’ve taken most of your palace, and once we reach where you’re all holed up, we'll show no mercy. If you and your mother want to make it out of here alive, you’d better give us what we want. It is time for God’s word to reign.”

Steven smirks, “Well good fucking luck, then, because even if you kill my mother, you’ll never have support of the military, or the rest of the government. You really think you can just walk in and declare yourself king? Do you really think the people of Moab are gonna just sit back and let a bunch of motherfuckers hiding behind the Bible tell them what to do?”

Penzak sighs, "This isn't going to work.” He reaches for something in his jacket, but Steven hits him and knocks him over before it can happen. A gun scatters to the floor, and they both scramble for it. Penzak swings upward and knocks Steven upward. He grabs the gun, and then holds it to Steven's head.

Steven, "The conditions were you'd be unarmed!”

Penzak, “Do you really think I'd be that stupid?"

Steven, “I thought you were Christian."

Suddenly, the windows above them shatter, and a team of Queens of Gilboa come rappelling into place.

Steven uses Penzak's surprise to knock him off of him, grab the gun, and holds it to his head, “Whatever happened to thou shalt not lie, huh? You're no Christian.”

The Queens all converge on Penzak, guns pointed at him.

In the situation room, Laura sits in a chair, sobbing with relief.

Shay, “Yeah, we can handle it from here."

David, trying to hide his nausea, “Can I leave?"

Raymond, "As soon as we get a secure exit. With Penzak out of the way, we should have one open soon enough."

  * Abby lies in her hospital bed, Jack and Michelle at her sides, a doctor checking on her dilation.



Abby whines, “Uuuugh, can I push yet?”

Doctor, “You’re at six centimeters. Four more to go.”

Michelle, “You are doing so good.”

Jack’s phone dings. He looks at it, “David is on the plane!”

Abby, “Is he gonna make it?”

Michelle, “Uh, if your labor slows, maybe.”

Abby, “Oh, fuck it, I want this baby out of me!”

Doctor, “When you’re fully dilated!”

  * ([“Welcome to the World” Kevin Rudolf](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAjCxadppcQ)) Penzak forlornly gets photographed at the military base, now a prisoner in custody.



Behind the camera, Shay and Joel laugh and smirk at him.

Joel, “Cheer up, bro. You're gonna be famous.”

o Laura surveys the damage in the throne room: it’s a mess, but fixable. Most importantly, it's still hers. Steven appears at her side. Laura smiles at him, bursting with pride, and he grins back at her.

o On his airplane, in the dark, his face illuminated by the screen of his phone, David watches with bated breath.

o In her hospital room, Michelle and Jack both hold on to Abby’s hands.

Doctor, “Just one more push!”

Abby takes in a deep breath and lets out a ferocious roar.

o David watches. He covers his face with his hand. The sound of a baby crying comes over the phone.

The doctor says, “A healthy baby boy!”

David throws his head back, overcome with joy and awe.

o Abby looks on in astonishment as the doctor places the baby in her arms.

Michelle coos, “Hi, Daniel! Hi!”

Jack is too overwhelmed to say anything.

Abby gazes down at her new son, awe-struck, “Hi! Hi!”

Michelle, softly, “Daniel Seth Shepherd.”

Abby laughs, joyous tears in her eyes.

o Rose and Jessie look anxiously at the screen of a phone. A picture of Abby and the baby appears on it. They’re both overcome with pride and delight.

o David walks down the hallway of the hospital. Jack comes running up to him, and they embrace each other with a long, tight hug, both of them laughing deliriously. Jack leads David into the delivery room. Abby sits in bed, holding the baby, Michelle at her side. They both look up as Jack and David enter.

Abby beams, “Hi, Dad.”

David approaches, wordless.

Abby, "He looks like you!”

Gently, David reaches out his arms, and Abby hands the baby over to him. Slowly David backs down into a chair, transfixed by the face of his new son.

David, “Abby… Abby, he’s perfect.”

Abby laughs and wipes a happy tear from her eye, “Yeah.”

David glances back at Jack, and they both share tired smiles. David looks back down at the baby, softly murmuring, “Hi, Daniel, hi…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I finally reached the point where I don't have any chapters saved to post. So the next chapter will get posted when I finish writing it. I'm trying to keep up momentum (not to mention finish this bitch) so hopefully it won't take *too* long, but I can't guarantee anything. See you next chapter!


	66. S7, E4: In Honor of Queen Mother Harriett Fairweather of Samaria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the royal families get confusing: I made a handy guide to who's who: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wc8NZpRt7WBn2D3ZW4jWXcwOGrHhtypW/view?usp=sharing 
> 
> Of course, all the royal families have much larger extended family members, but I'm keeping it to the most immediate royal family members.

Jack opens the front door, and Monique bursts in, “Where is my new little nephew?!”

Jack greets her with a hug, “He’s with everyone else.” They go into the living room where Abby holding Daniel, along with Michelle, Shay, Joel, Asher, Betty, and their baby daughter, Pearl.

Everyone greets her, “Hey, Monique!”

Monique makes a beeline for Daniel, “Oh my god, he is too damn cute!”

David sticks his head from out of the kitchen, “Hey, Monique! Dinner's almost ready!"

Monique, “What we havin’?”

David, “Eggplant biryani.”

Monique, “Ooooh, Indian.”

She goes over and fusses over Pearl, “Hey, Pearlie Girl.”

Betty laughs, “Hey, Auntie Monique.”

Monique turns and sits down on the sofa, "You know, DeMarcus and I are thinking about adopting."

Michelle, “Are you really?"

Monique, “We're just thinking about it. Nothing official yet.”

Cut to: Everyone sits around the dinner table, digging into the food that David has made.

Monique, “Next week we're back on official Royal Duty. Going to Samaria for Queen Mother Harriet’s 90th birthday gala.”

David, “Yeah, I can handle that.”

Monique, “Can you?”

Abby, “I’ll be there to keep him on a tight leash, as always. And besides, all anyone’s going to want to talk about is the new baby prince.”

Monique, “Mercy and Grace also got invited.”

Jack, “Seriously?”

Michelle, “Grace has always been friends with Iris and Tabitha. It’s been a big part of Samaria keeping the peace with Ammon.”

Monique, “And Mercy is technically a princess, so she got invited.”

David, “It’s a celebration, everyone likes Harriett, I’m not going to be rude and cause trouble.”

Asher, “So what are we going to do when that’s over?”

David, “I want to look into some way to prevent future coup attempts, not just in Moab, but here, and in the other countries.”

Joel, “Stopping coups in Ammon means we’re stuck with Wayne.”

David, “We’re still stuck with him. Anyway, it’s just theoretical. Something to think about.”

Monique, “I’ve been talking with this friend of mine, she’s a director… she wants to do a documentary about the AFG.”

David makes a face, “They’ve already written a book.”

Monique, “She wants to do more than just a movie. She’s thinking a TV special. Six or seven parts. She’s got channels making her offers. Honestly, David, someone’s going to make this documentary, and it might as well be my girl. She’s damn good at what she does.” David still makes a face.

Jack speaks up, “Sounds good. David's gonna be David.”

David, “What does that mean?”

Jack grins at him, “Fussy,” he adopts a husky, dramatic voice, “I don't want to talk about it.”

Monique, “I told her getting David to talk would be difficult.”

David, “Come on, I know you all have stuff you don’t like to talk about.”

Asher, “Is this going to be shown in other countries?”

Monique, “Definitely not in Ammon, but I know there’s a market for it. We’re very popular on the international scene.”

David, “It's not a bad idea, I just- I need to get used to the idea is all. Prepare myself for it.”

Monique, “It’ll be after the gala, anyway. You got plenty of time to think about it.”

  * Across town, Frieda sits having dinner with Andrew and Chloe, “Of course I was horrified to learn that she was _doing diplomacy_ in the delivery room. I'm hoping that in talking to you, I can help convince Abigail to act like a mother. That is off the record, of course."



Across from her, Andrew sits with a huge, toothy, unctuous smile plastered across his face. He is not only back on his bullshit, he never left his bullshit to begin with, “When did you last speak with her?"

Frieda, “Shortly after my grandson was born. I’m sure she only agreed to it because Frankie insisted.”

Andrew, “And what did she say to you?”

Frieda, “Only the polite things. We didn’t speak for very long.”

The smile on Andrew’s face tightens, “Is… is that all?”

Frieda, “What do you mean, is that all?”

Andrew, “While I understand your desire to share the truth with the world-”

Frieda, “I need money. The widow’s compensation I receive isn’t enough to meet my current needs.”

Andrew, “You must understand, OMGossip does sell a certain product, as it were.”

Frieda, “I have private pictures of Prince Daniel. It’s nothing truly revealing or alarming, but it’s enough that I know the king will come to realize that my financial situation needs improving. Are you really telling me you’ll say no? There’s plenty of other places I could sell them to.”

Andrew keeps the smile on his face, even as anger flashes in his eyes, “We will happily give you the price you’re asking for.”

Frieda smiles, “You aren't out of luck. King David may offer to amend my finances, but if you can do a better job… I do have some choice things to say about... I don't even know what to call him. He's not my son-in-law.”

Chloe, “Your grandbabydaddy.”

Frieda, curtly, "I've never been fond of him. But you may not quote me on that. Not yet."

  * Later, Andrew bitches to Chloe, “Ooooh so she doesn't like David. How scandalous, what an outrage!”



Chloe, “You can still make hash out of it.”

Andrew, “I swear, this business used to be _fun_! Things are so boring now that David is all _happily married_ and not taking any captives.”

Chloe, “Have you thought at all about making a change?”

Andrew, “What kind of change?"

Chloe, "I dunno, any kind of change.”

Andrew, "What am I supposed to do, go back into the weapons business?”

Chloe, “I mean, you could.”

Andrew pouts, “Maybe I should. I’ve always wanted to be an important man, and peddling royal baby pictures isn’t that.”

  * David talks with Mercy and Grace, a sign language translator for Grace. David, "You don't have to go.”



Mercy, “I don't understand, why was I invited?”

David, "Queen Harriett has always been involved in helping orphans and refugees from Carmel, and she’s been very impressed with the advocacy work you’ve done. She really wants to meet you.”

Mercy nods, “Okay. Sounds fun.”

David, “Really, you don’t have to go, if it’s going to be upsetting…”

Mercy, “No, I mean it. It sounds fun. A lot better than a funeral.”

David, “I will personally make sure Wayne stays away from you.”

Grace sits with her brow deeply furrowed, “I want to see my family, but I’m afraid going will be a bad idea.”

David, “I can give you a full security detail. Have people monitoring your food, even.”

Grace, "I don't even know what I'd wear. I didn't bring any jewels. I don't have much money."

David, "Rose can lend you something."

Mercy signs to Grace, "You should think of the diplomatic advantages we could take. It could be a sign to the public there's no ill will in your family. Galas like this can bring in a lot of supporters for any charity you’re endorsing."

David, "It's up to you.”

  * Grace sits anxiously at a computer in the living room of the modest home she shares with Gus. On the screen appears Queen Mae and Princesses Bonnie, Mackynzie, and Rosaleigh. Grace gives a pained smile and signs hello.



Mae signs and speaks, “I thought you would never call us.”

Grace replies, “I thought it was unwanted.” Bonnie and Rosaleigh glance quickly at Mackynzie.

Mae, “Why are you calling us now?”

Grace, “I was invited to Queen Harriett’s 90th birthday gala. Apparently, the Fairweathers believe we are still on good terms.”

Mae, without raising her voice, “And they’re going to continue to believe this. You’re going, aren’t you?”

Grace nods submissively.

Bonnie smiles nervously, “I’m so happy you’ll be joining us.”

Mackynzie mutters, “She’s not joining us, she’ll be with the Gilboans.”

Mae, “I’m still very glad you’re going. It’s of utmost importance that we appear as a family, united under your brother, the king.”

Grace, “Gus is going to be there with me.”

Bonnie smiles brightly while Mae and Mackynzie smile politely. Bonnie, “We’ll all be very happy to see Gus!”

Grace, “Wayne is going to have to be polite to him.”

Mae, “Of course. I certainly hope you’re going to maintain your standard of modesty and show the world that Gilboa hasn’t corrupted you.”

Grace, “Yes, yes. I want Wayne to stay away from Gus. David is giving us extra security to make sure nothing happens.”

Mae, “Don’t disrespect your brother like that! With your father gone, he is the man who is in charge go this family!”

Grace, “Gus is my husband. I am a part of my husband’s family.”

Mae grimaces and clasps her hands, “Let us pray!” Bonnie and Mackynzie clasp their hands and bow their heads. Grace simply clasps her hands and watches Mae.

Mae, “Lord, we ask for your guidance through these difficult times….”

Grace squints to see Mae’s lips, but the screen is too small.

  * In the palace dressing room, Mercy and Grace look at fancy ball gowns, giggling and grinning like little girls. Mercy twirls around, holding a dress up to her.



Grace signs, "I always wanted to do this with you as a little girl, I'm so glad I can, now." A group of guards pushing a cart stacked with jewelry boxes enter the room.

An aide says, “The jewels, your highness.”

Rose, "Ah, thank you,” She says Grace and Mercy, “You girls are free to borrow from my jewelry collection.” She goes over and opens a box with a tiara in it. She smiles and turns back to the girls, “Mercy, dear, I have something for you." She holds up the box, containing a [sunburst tiara with a large yellow diamond in the center](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/df/4c/3c/df4c3cdcd9c82b5d116d91bc0aabcc4a.jpg), the one worn by Esperanza Abbadon in her only official royal portrait.

Mercy gasps when she sees it, and tears fill her eyes, "The Sunburst!” She steps forward and takes it out of the box, “I thought it was destroyed!"

Rose, “No, I wouldn't let a piece of history be destroyed or sold off. I actually have quite a bit of your mother's jewelry in the vault. I want to give it to you."

Tears fall down Mercy's face, “My mother… she looked so beautiful when she wore this. Thank you, Rose. Thank you so much.”

Rose, “The things you wear tell a very important story about you. You have to be very careful to tell the kind of story you want to tell.”

Grace’s translator translates this into sign. Grace looks down at the modest dress she’s holding, and then places it back on the dress rack.

  * David sits in the limousine with Jack, Abby, Michelle, and Rose, all dressed up for the gala. David, Jack, Abby and Michelle all look at David’s phone.



David smiles brightly, “Hi, Daniel! We miss you!”

On his phone, Jessie holds Daniel in her arms while Daniel puts his fist in his mouth. Already, he has a thick tuft of blonde hair.

Abby, “How is he?”

Jessie, “Oh, he's fine. Just thinks he’s spending the night with Grandma.”

Daniel coos and grasps at the phone, causing everyone to laugh.

Michelle, “We’re gonna be showing pictures off all night.”

David, “We’ll try to leave as soon as we can in the morning. I’m trying to make it through this with as little drama as possible.”

Jessie, cheerfully, “Okay. I’m gonna give Daniel another bottle in a little bit and then I’m gonna put him down for the night.”

Abby’s phone dings, and she gets it out of her purse.

David, “Okay. We'll see you tomorrow. Good night.” Jack and Michelle both say goodnight, and David ends the conversation. He looks at Abby, “What’s up?”

Abby, “Frankie’s coming.”

Jack, “What? How?”

Abby, “Quentin pulled a few strings.”

David, “Huh. Good for him, I guess.”

Abby puts her phone away, “Benefits of being a prince's best friend."

  * Guests arrive at the Palace of Jericho. [(fashion!)](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10L4yZuSx2Lk_d8f2w2k91f8WeAT0oYDm?usp=sharing) Chloe and Andrew walk arm in arm, Chloe wearing a kicky retro look.



Chloe looks around, “Oh my god, this is so much fun! How’d you get such a last-minute invite?”

Andrew, smirking, "The OMGossip archives have some photographs of Prince Luke that Queen Harriet hopes never see the light of day.”

Chloe, “Oooh, you’re so smart."

Royals start arriving. The Judds arrive. Hattie wears an enormous, fluffy hot pink dress and an obnoxiously large tiara, while the other women wear subdued modest gowns.

Immediately upon going inside, they’re greeted by Andrew, “Ah, Your Majesty! I was hoping to run into you tonight! My name is Andrew Cross, I’m the owner of OMGossip.”

Chloe says to Hattie, “Oh my god, I love your dress!”

Hattie, “Bless your heart! Thank you so much! You look beautiful, too!”

Wayne, “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Cross. I’m quite familiar with your publication.”

Andrew, “I’ve heard how you’re trying to expand the Ammonian weapons industry. I have a few ideas that I think might be of interest to you.”

Wayne begins to reply, when he's interrupted by a young man, "There you are! You can't ignore me, now! I want my family’s property returned!”

Wayne signals to his security guys, and they pull the man away, protesting.

Wayne, "My apologies. Zachary White still insists that he's the rightful heir to the throne of Ammon, and he won't shut up about it.”

Andrew, “Pathetic.”

Back outside, The Gilboan limo rolls up, and David gets out. He waves at the photographers, and then helps Jack get out. Inside the palace, Frankie greets everyone with hugs.

David, “Hey, Frankie, how you doing?”

Frankie, “I’m doing fuckin’ great, man. Tonight’s a big night. Have you seen Quentin at all?”

David, “Uh, yeah, I think he's right over there…” He looks around and spots Quentin, who sees them both and comes over.

Quentin ignores David and greets Frankie with a big hug, "You ready for tonight?”

Frankie, "Of course, man.”

Quentin’s Fiancée, Miranda, comes up behind them. Her radiant smile and glittering pink and gold dress make her look like a warm sunrise, “David! Congratulations on your new son! The pictures are so cute!"

David, slightly confused, "Uh, thanks.”

Back outside, Gus gets out of a limo, and then helps Mercy and Grace get out. Grace wears a slightly sexy strapless dress. It’s far from slutty, but it goes against Ammonian modesty standards. She also wears the tiara that Michelle wore to David's coronation ball, borrowed.

Gus signs to her, "You looks so beautiful.”

Mercy wears the sunburst tiara and a flowy yellow lace dress. They both look absolutely stunning, and cameras flash madly at them.

Inside, David greets Laura with a hug, “You don’t know how glad I am that you’re here.”

Laura, “Trust me, I’m very happy to be here. How is Daniel?”

David, “Absolutely wonderful.”

Laura spots Andrew over his shoulder, still talking to Wayne and Hattie. Laura cautiously says, "Don't turn around, but Andrew Cross is behind you."

David, “Aw, Jesus, is he?”

Laura, "Looks like he's talking to Wayne.”

David shakes his head, “Doesn’t matter. I’m determined to have a good time tonight. He can go skulk in the shadows like he always does. If he tries to get near me or Jack, my security will deal with it.”

Laura, “I’m surprised you didn't have him arrested after the allegations about Gath came out.”

David, “Gath fucked up the investigation. We didn’t find anything conclusive.”

Back with Andrew and Wayne, Andrew goes on, "You see, my family was in the weapons business for nearly four hundred years, and I was the beneficiary of all this accumulated knowledge, until my scheming cousin stole it out from under me..."

Grace, Gus, and Mercy enter the palace, and a wave of camera flashes hits them.

With the Judd women, Bonnie and Mackynzie see her dress, and Mackynzie says to Bonnie, “She’s turning Gilboan."

Wayne stares helplessly at Mercy as Andrew prattles on, “I believe with my expertise, I could help grow the Ammonian weapons industry…”

Mercy laughs and chats with some other princesses, when suddenly, Zachary White comes up to her, “That tiara is a family heirloom!”

Mercy, taken aback, "I beg your pardon?”

Andrew talks to Wayne, “I assure you, I can completely revolutionize your weapons output…” Without saying anything, Wayne hurries off toward Zachary and Mercy.

Zachary, "My grandmother wore that tiara!"

Mercy, "Oh, you're the White heir, aren't you?”

Wayne comes over and pushes him out of the way, "Leave her alone!”

With David, Laura says, “Oh, shit.”

David turns around and sees the escalating situation, “Fuck.” He approaches Mercy, “What’s going on?”

Zachary, "That tiara belongs to my family!"

David, "It's a gift to Miss Abbadon from Queen Rose. It belongs to no one but her.”

Wayne glares and starts to say something, but an aide approaches, "Your majesties, the picture.”

  * In a room set up with a camera and lighting equipment, the monarchs all pose behind Queen Harriett, who sits in a chair. Rose, Gloria, and Mae are also with them. Rose awkwardly stands next to Hattie with her big poofy skirt.



Rose grimaces and tries to move the layers of tulle out of the way, “If you don't mind, dear.”

Hattie gives her a huge, beaming smile, “I would just love to speak with you later. Really, I’ve tried so hard to model myself on you- the beautiful queen, the woman behind a great man. I admire your sense of style so much.”

Rose gives her a condescending smile, “Then let me give you some fashion advice: this dress is the kind that is best worn with a _plastic_ tiara.” She turns and smiles at the camera.

Hattie realizes she's been insulted, and looks at Wayne to defend her. He's preoccupied with his thoughts.

Without saying anything, Hattie tries to force a smile as the photographer says, “Smile!” Posed along the elegant and refined queens, she looks tacky and out of place.

  * In the ballroom, guests mingle. Andrew and Chloe sit at a table with Zachary White.



Zachary, “The sunburst tiara was a wedding gift to my great-grandmother, Queen Gladys. It was my grandmother's favorite. I have many fond memories of her wearing it. When Judd and Abbadon took power, they took everything from my family, even our most precious heirlooms. We were left with nothing.”

Suddenly, Chloe's face lights up with recognition, “Oooooh! I know who you are! Your granddad was the dude who sent soldiers to Central America so they could protect drug traffickers and sell all their cocaine in North America!”

Zachary scowls, “King Allen, yes. He and my father were both brutally murdered by Judd and Abbadon when I was a child.”

Andrew, "You have all my sympathy. King Silas drove my father from Gilboa.”

Chloe, "Yeah, but Alek Amal was the one who murdered your dad, remember?"

Andrew, “That was never confirmed.”

Chloe, “But Amal said he did. He made that recording. _I am Alek Amal and I ended William Cross’s pathetic and worthless life._ ”

Andrew ignores her, "My cousin stole our family's company out from under me. I know very well what it's like to have everything taken from you."

At the entrance of the ballroom, a herald announces, “Announcing her Royal Highness, Queen Mother Harriett Fairweather of Samaria.” The doors swing open, and King John escorts his mother into the ballroom. The guests all stand and applaud as Harriet waves.

Behind them, the other monarchs all enter. David sees Andrew glaring at him. He says to Jack, “I’m gonna keep Andrew away from you tonight, don’t worry.”

Jack, “Don’t punch him.”

David grins, “But what if he deserves it?” They both laugh.

An aide approaches them, “Your majesty, Queen Harriett has requested you for the first dance of the evening.”

David, “What, seriously?”

Behind the aide, Harriett smiles at him, “I’m ninety years old, and all I want is to dance with a handsome man!”

David sputters, “I, um… I-if my husband is all right with it.” He looks at Jack.

Jack cackles, “Go for it, babe!”

David, “Okay.” He goes over to Harriett, who holds her hand out. David takes it, and leads her to the dance floor.

Harriet, “Do you know the foxtrot?”

David, “Yes, I do, actually.” They get into position. The music begins, and they dance.

From the sidelines, Wayne watches in disgust, “Good God, King Harold is in his grave, getting cucked!”

David hears none of it. He smiles brilliantly and twirls Harriett around while cameras flash wildly.

Harriett, “You are a wonderful dancer!”

David, “As are you!”

The music ends. David bows, and Harriett curtsies. Everyone applauds wildly.

Harriett laughs, “Thank you, David, for giving an old woman exactly what she wants!”

David, “You are most welcome!” He goes back to Jack, and greets him with an apologetic kiss.

Other couples dance on the dance floor. Grace and Gus capture the attention of photographers, a ridiculously attractive couple. Harriett dances with John, and David dances with Jack.

Quentin dances with Miranda, “Look Miranda, I um… I have something very important I need to tell you later this evening. I don’t want to cause a big scene, but I need to talk to you and my family later in one of the private rooms.”

Miranda, eyes growing huge, “Really?”

Quentin, “Yeah, just keep it quiet.”

Miranda, “I thought this night would never come!”

Wayne dances with Hattie, keeping a sharp eye on Mercy.

Mercy sits at a table by herself, looking beautiful but alone. A handsome young man with a Samarian accent approaches her, “Pardon me, Miss Abbadon?”

Mercy looks at the young man, “Yes?”

Young man, “I’m Prince Luke of Samaria, and I’m a big admirer of the charitable work you do.”

Mercy smiles graciously, “Oh, thank you very much.”

Luke, “I was wondering, might I share this dance with you?” He holds his hand out.

Mercy smiles, “Yes, a dance would be wonderful.” Luke leads Mercy out to the dance floor, and they begin to dance.

Wayne sees it, and fury flashes across his face, “That degenerate is trying to dance with Mercy!”

Hattie, “Wayne, you are dancing with me! Forget about Mercy!”

Off on the sidelines, Miranda gushes to Princess Carrie of Aram, “Oh my God, Carrie, I think Quentin is finally going to propose to me!”

Carrie gasps, “Oh my god, congratulations!” She hugs Miranda tightly.

Miranda struggles not to cry, “I was so jealous of you at your wedding, watching you become a princess!” she sniffs, “I’m finally gonna be a princess, too!”

Luke twirls Mercy around, and Mercy laughs, having a great time.

Wayne dances with Hattie, but he can’t stop looking over at Mercy.

Mercy laughs at a joke Luke tells and puts her head on his shoulder.

Wayne seethes.

The evening goes on. Back at their table, David shows Princesses Iris and Tabitha pictures of Daniel.

Iris, “He is so cute!"

Miranda comes up to them, “Oh, is that Prince Daniel?"

David, proudly, “Yes.”

Miranda, “Oh, I've always wanted to be a mommy. Quentin is going to make a very big announcement in one of the receiving rooms, I’d like for you all to be there!"

David, “Oh, okay. I guess we'll go there, then."

  * Frankie leads Abby and Michelle down a hallway to the room where everyone is supposed to meet.



Abby, "So how big of an announcement is this?"

Frankie, “Huge. Life-changing.”

Michelle, jokingly, "What, is he coming out?”

Frankie doesn't reply. Abby and Michelle exchange nervous glances. Frankie opens the door of the receiving room, and then says, "Oh, shit."

All of the royal families are packed into the room.

Quentin nervously talks to Miranda, "I told you just to gather my family. I didn't want this to be a big deal.”

Miranda, "But this is a big deal!"

Lawrence, grumpily, "What big announcement are you trying to make, Quentin? Get it over with!”

Where they're seated, Grace’s interpreter signs. Quentin glances over at Frankie, who nods and shuts the door.

Franke says to Abby and Michelle, "You two should sit down."

They go and take seats beside David and Jack. Quentin takes a deep breath, “Okay, first of all, I would like to say that I am pansexual.”

Grace's interpreter repeats this, but in sign.

Lawrence, “What is that?"

Quentin, “It means I’m attracted to women, men, and all non-binary gender identities.”

Jack, "Good for you, man!”

Lawrence looks directly at David, "What's the difference between bi and pansexual?”

David, "I, um, they- they're basically the same, it's just, um-”

Quentin, “Pansexual is sexual attraction based more on an emotional and spiritual connection regardless of gender."

David, “Yeah, that.”

Quentin, “Not only am I pansexual, I am in love with Frankie Hatch.”

Frankie swells with pride and tears fill his eyes.

Miranda, completely deflated, “What?"

Quentin, “Miranda, I'm sorry, but I don't want to marry you, and everyone is just going to have to accept it!”

Grace’s interpreter continues to sign. Grace’s jaw drops, and she looks from the interpreter to Quentin.

Miranda’s chest begins to heave, "Oh my God…”

Quentin, "I told you just to gather my family.”

Miranda, “Oh my God! You were supposed to propose to me!”

Quentin, "I said I'm sorry.”

Princess Celeste (Quentin’s mother) gets up and goes to comfort her.

Lawrence, “Did David have anything to do with this?!"

David, fully panicking, “What? Me?! No! I wouldn’t-”

Quentin, "I met Frankie at David's coronation ball, but I fell in love with him on my own! I didn't want to do this like this, but you guys kept putting so much pressure on me to marry Miranda, I had to do it in a way I couldn’t go back on!”

Miranda wails, "Oh my god, my life is over!"

Quentin, “You dated a prince. That still counts for something.”

Lawrence stands up, “That is enough! You are no longer the heir to the throne of Edom!”

Quentin, “You know what? That’s fine! I really didn’t want to be king, anyway. You can disown me all you want, but all that's gonna do is make you look like a homophobic old douche while I'm the heroic prince who gave up the throne for true love." He goes over to Frankie, and takes his hand, “And I do love you, Frankie.”

Frankie, “I love you, too!” They share a passionate and beautiful kiss.

Frankie, breathlessly, "Let's get out of here, man.”

Quentin glances nervously over at his family, and then Miranda, and back at Frankie. He nods, “Yeah, let's get out of here." He takes Frankie's hand, and they both leave.

The remaining royals all sit there in awkward silence.

Harriett finally says something, "Well. Before we go back to the party, does anyone else feel the need to come out?"

Awkwardly, Princess Denise of Aram says, “I made out with a girl in college, once. It was pretty nice."

Jack bursts out laughing, and David has to laugh as well.

Miranda, sheepishly, "It's not funny!"

Jack, “Trust me, you're better off!"

Other start to laugh and get up. In their corner, Prince Luke says to Mercy, “Would you care to join me outside? I’m not going to declare my undying love, but I would like to speak with you.”

Mercy smiles, "That sounds nice."

Mercy quickly goes over to David, "I'm going to speak with Prince Luke outside. So if you're wondering where I went, that's where I am."

David, “Sure thing.”

Wayne watches Mercy leave with Luke.

Hattie says to him, "I'm not done dancing, yet. Come dance with me some more.”

  * In a hallway, Mercy and Luke are stopped by Zachary White, “That tiara belongs to me!"



Luke, "Now isn't the time, Zach!”

Mercy snaps, "You know what? Fine!” She takes the tiara off of her head, “Take it! It can go with all the other jewels your family smuggled out of Ammon!"

Zachary takes the tiara.

Mercy, “You still have all your family's wealth, and property, and connections, and for years I had nothing! Literally nothing to remind me of my mother! I wasn't even allowed to tell people about my her, even when she was slandered and disgraced as the wife of a madman! Finally, Queen Rose gave me something that she wore, something that I remember her wearing, and looking beautiful in, and being happy in, but of course, it belongs to you, and it'll go into your jewel vault, where it will sit and never be worn again!"

Zachary awkwardly turns around and walks away, still holding the tiara.

Luke tries to go after him, but Mercy stops him, “No, forget about it. I don't need a tiara. Take me outside."

• Behind the palace is a rich garden, flooded with moonlight. Mercy and Luke walks arm in arm.

Mercy, “It's so beautiful.”

Luke, "The gardens were first installed in 1871 by my great-great grandmother, Queen Eudosia. After the defeat in the war with Edom, she felt that Samarians sorely needed something to be proud of again.”

Mercy, “Then you must be really proud of all this.”

Luke, “Oh, I am.” He sits down on a stone bench, "Please, come sit with me.”

Mercy sits down beside him.

Luke goes on, “You look absolutely beautiful tonight.”

Mercy, "Thank you."

Luke, “I must confess, when you first identified yourself in public, I was quite interested in you. I thought, there's someone whose story is similar to mine, who might understand me.”

Mercy, “You’ll have to forgive me. For a long time, I kind of kept myself under a rock, as a survival mechanism of sorts. I- I know your parents died in a car crash, but I don't know the details of it.”

Luke, “My father was the black sheep of the Fairweather family, and my mother was the beautiful hellcat he married far too young. My father was drunk and high, driving a sports car at over a hundred miles an hour, screaming and fighting with my mother. I was in the back seat. The car crashed. They were killed, I survived. I was eight years old.”

Mercy reaches over and puts her hand on his.

Luke, “For a long time, I dealt with my grief by living like they did. I honestly expected to be dead before I turned twenty-one.”

Mercy, softly, "Yeah, I know what that’s like.”

Luke, “The rest of my family had written me off as a tragedy waiting to happen, but my grandmother refused to give up. She sent me to therapy, and helped me find a purpose in life. I came to realize, I’m uniquely situated as a prince. I've experienced loss and trauma, yes, but a lot of people have. I can help them. I'm being sincere when I say that I greatly admire the work you do.”

Mercy, “I can't undo what my father did. But I try to make what's left better. It makes me feel better.”

Luke, "I think that you and I can do some truly outstanding things together." Mercy smiles, flattered.

  * Inside, Wayne sits at a table with Andrew. Andrew goes on, "You see, CrossGen has long supported Ammon. There's a reason my father turned to your father when he was in need.”



Wayne, “I’ll be frank with you, Ammon has plenty of weapons experts. There’s nothing new you can offer me there.”

Andrew’s expression sours.

Wayne, “What you can offer me is information about the happenings in the royal palace. I want to know if David is doing anything illicit with Mercy Abbadon.”

Andrew, “I don’t know.”

Wayne, “Lord knows he’s fucked half the women in Gilboa, and most of the men, too.”

Andrew, “Actually, you’ll be very disappointed to learn that David is faithful to his husband. He’s actually quite boring.”

Wayne, “Then you’re completely useless to me.” His eyes sweep the room. He spots Zachary holding the sunburst tiara, and rises sharply to his feet.

Andrew, “Is something the matter, Your Majesty?”

Wayne marches over to Zachary, “Where the hell did you get that?!"

Zachary, “Miss Abbadon gave it to me.”

Wayne, "You will give it right back to her!"

Zachary, “I will not.”

Wayne turns around and goes over to his team of big, burly security guys. They all nod, and then look at Zachary. A look of dread washes over his face as they all come over to him, grab him by the shoulders and lead him away.

  * In an empty hallway, Wayne holds the sunburst tiara in his hands, looking down at it imperiously as his security guys [beat the absolute shit out of Zachary](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgLlqM2p11A).



Wayne, “Good work, fellas.”

  * Back outside, David approaches Mercy and Luke, “Hey, Jack and I are going to go back to the hotel. Abby and Michelle want to stay a little longer, but Jack's feeling pretty tired."



Mercy, "I was enjoying my conversation with Luke here. Do you mind if I stay a bit longer?”

David, “No, that's fine.”

Wayne and his security guys approach them. He has the tiara in his hand, "Mercy!"

Mercy mutters, “Shit. What do you want, Wayne?”

Wayne holds the tiara out, “I got your tiara back."

Mercy shakes her head, "I don't want it."

Wayne, "What?"

Mercy, "I don't want it if you have to give it to me."

Wayne, "Don't say no to me, Mercy!”

Mercy, “Wayne-”

Wayne, "I still love you!"

Mercy, “Wayne, please!”

Luke steps in between Mercy and Wayne, "Don't cause a scene."

Wayne, “Don't you dare touch me, you low-life! I won’t let you defile her!” He turns to Mercy, "Do you know who he is? What he's done, the kind of man he is?!"

Luke, "I was just speaking with Miss Abbadon about my past behavior. There's no excuse for it, but I've done my best to become a better man.”

Wayne, "I have loved Mercy since I was a child!" He steps over to her, and holds the tiara out, “Mercy, I want to marry you."

Mercy, "What? You're already married!”

Wayne, "The kings of the bible had multiple wives, and I can, too!”

David waves for his security guys, and they move to pull Wayne away.

Wayne drops the tiara, and pulls away out of their grip, “Keep your goddamn hands off of me!”

Wayne's security guys shove David's security guys.

Wayne yells at Mercy, “I loved you when I was a boy, and I still love you with all the fire in my soul!"

Mercy turns to Luke, “I'm sorry, but I’m going to go with David.”

Luke, “That’s quite alright.”

Wayne rushes over and punches Luke, “How dare you even speak to her!”

David puts his arms around Mercy’s shoulders and tries to lead her away. His security guys try to restrain Wayne, who keeps screaming, “I love you Mercy! I will marry you! Where are you going? I will go to war with Gilboa! I swear I will!”

David hurries Mercy away.

Wayne keeps screaming, “Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!” ([“Miss Jackson” by Panic! at the Disco](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaH9b6Lqwzo) “Out the back door, goddamn…”)


	67. S7, E5: If I Have Not Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Took me a long time to write it, but it's worth it, I promise! Also, feel free to correct the Spanish.

**If I Have Not Love**

Fancy state dinner at the royal palace of Ammon. Newly-crowned young Silas and Rose are having their first state dinner in Ammon. They stand at the end of a fancy staircase.

Up at the top, a herald announces, “Announcing Their Royal Majesties, King Allen and Queen Louise of Ammon!”

Allen and Louise descend the staircase. Louise is wearing the sunburst tiara. Behind them walk Prince Richard and Princess Elaine, their son, 8-year-old Prince Zachary, at their side.

Richard looks down at Zachary, “That’ll be you some day. Whatcha think?"

Zachary, “Pretty cool.”

Allen reaches Silas and shakes his hand, “Silas! I am so glad you're here. I’m just delighted to see the someone is finally in charge of Gilboa.”

Silas, “Couldn’t have done it without your support.”

Allen, "I only hope you can do a few favors for me in exchange."

Suddenly, a bomb goes off. Everyone ducks.

From his position on the floor, King Allen looks around, bewildered, "What was that?! What the hell was that?!” Zachary cries and clutches his father's hand. Silas swoops Rose into his arms like the cover of a goddamn romance novel and carries her away.

  * Young Vesper Abbadon, a linguistics professor at Rabbath Christian University, teaches class, “The Greeks have many different words for love. In our modern society, we are most familiar with _eros_ , that is, romantic and erotic love. You can’t turn on the radio without hearing songs about _eros_. What kind of other love could possibly exist? There is _ludus_ , or playful love, which we feel in the initial giddy rush of infatuation. When a relationship has stabilized and matured, and becomes something based on commitment and deep, long-term understanding, it is _pragma_. We love our family members, _storge_. We love our friends, _philia_. We even love ourselves, _philautia_. A kind of love that is often mistaken for _eros_ is _mania_. Obsessive, unhealthy love, the unforgiving kind of love that a stalker my feel for his victim. This is not love. As 1 Corinthians says, love is patient, love is kind. How many of you have heard that passage at a wedding?”



He pauses for an answer, and smiles knowingly, “1 Corinthians 13 is so often mistaken as being about _eros_ , or even _pragma_ , or _philia_. 1 Corinthians 13 is about the most important kind of love, the kind that is most often overlooked. _Agape_. Universal love, love for your fellow man. This is the kind of love that God feels for the world. The kind of love for which He gave us His only Son. _Agape_ is patient. _Agape_ is kind. Today, so many Christians act without _agape_ , even though it is the basis on which Christianity, in fact, all religion, is built. _If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am but a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and I have a faith that can move mountains, but I have not love, I am nothing_.”

The classroom door opens, and a couple of police officers enter.

Vesper ignores them and goes on, “ _If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing._ ”

The two police officers approach Vesper, “Professor Abbadon.”

Vesper goes on, “ _Faith, hope, and_ agape: _the greatest of these is_ agape _._ ”

The police officer repeats, “Professor Abbadon?”

Finally, Vesper turns to them, “Yes?”

Police officer, “Professor Abbadon, you are under arrest.”

  * Vesper sits in an interrogation room, handcuffed to a table. Two detectives are interviewing him, a 3rd officer stands behind them, menacing a club.



Vesper, “So I suppose all Christians are terrorists now?” The 3rd officer clubs him hard over the head.

Officer 1 puts a tape cassette in a player, “Is this you?”

He presses play: “As Christians, we are called to protect our brethren. When one Christian is arrested, beaten, and tortured, we all are. We must unite against tyranny, even if it means a bloody fight. As Revelation says, _to the one who is victorious and does My will to the end, I will give authority over nations_.”

Officer 1, “This recording was found in the car of the bomber who set himself off at the state gala.”

Vesper, “That’s not the sort of thing I teach in my classroom.” Officer 3 slams him over the head again.

Officer 2, “Shut the fuck up! You’re the one on these recordings!”

Vesper laughs, “ _As servants of God, we commend ourselves in every way: in beatings, imprisonment, and hunger, with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and left!_ Do to me what you will, it’s nothing that true men of God haven’t already endured for centuries.”

The door behind them opens, and two more men in police uniforms enter.

Officer 1 looks at the two men, “Yes? What is it?”

One of the men raises a gun and shoots the officer. Quickly, he shoots officer 2, while the other guy shoots officer 3. Guy 1 searches officer 1’s key ring, and gets the handcuff key. He unlocks Vesper, “Come on.”

• Nighttime, a nondescript van pulls up in front of a small, ramshackle cluster of buildings. The front door of the largest building opens, and Esperanza Abbadon, visibly pregnant, hurries outside. The back door of the van opens, and the two fake police officers from earlier climb out, followed by Vesper. Esperanza hurries up to him, and they greet each other with a tight hug.

Esperanza murmurs, “ _Gracias a Dios_.”

Vesper kisses her forehead, " _Estoy bien. No te preocupes_.”

“Daddy!” Mercy (5) and Elías (3) come running out to greet Vesper.

Out of the front door steps young Warner Judd, Mae following nervously behind him, a baby (Bonnie) in her arms. They look nothing like a future king and queen: Vesper wears dirty old work clothes, while Mae is in an over-sized t-shirt and jeans.

Warner looks to the men who rescued Vesper, “Good job, boys. Go on inside. Mae made chili.” He looks over at Vesper, who spots him, and gives him a dirty look.

Vesper speaks softly to Esperanza, “I need to speak with Warner.”

Warner smiles as Vesper approaches him, “There’s chili inside.”

Vesper, “You shouldn’t have done this.”

Warner looks at the dried blood on Vesper’s face, “Get cleaned up, first.”

  * Inside, Mae and Esperanza clean dishes while Elías and Wayne (4) run around.



In the living room, several men sit, their guns and packs lined up against the wall. Back in the kitchen, Vesper and Warner sit at the table in heated discussion.

Vesper, “You should _not_ have rescued me. I’ve been arrested before, I can handle whatever they’d do to me.”

Warner, “Things have changed. We attacked the king where he lives. He’s not gonna let you go any more.”

Vesper casts a sad, wary glance over to where little Mercy and Grace sit coloring, “Why did you bring Esperanza and my children into this? I walked in all on my own, I don’t want them getting hurt because of me!”

Warner, “You join the fight with us, and leave your family at home. They come in, arrest Esperanza, and send your kids to be raised by someone else. Someone who’s not a believer. There’s nothing worse than that. It’s why I have Mae and my kids here.”

Vesper, "You made that decision. Not me."

Warner, “Vesper, you are gifted with words, but we cannot fight with words alone.”

With the girls, Mercy whispers something to Grace, and then they both giggle, and run off in different directions.

Vesper, “I still don't want my children involved with this.”

Warner speaks with deadly calm and assurance, “Right now, we are standing before the face of God. We have a chance to build His nation on earth. Are you going to be the man who backed out of that? It’s not about what you want, Vesper.”

As Mae and Esperanza dry the last of the dishes, Grace opens the cabinet and gets in.

Mae cranes her neck down and looks at her, “What are you doing?”

Grace, “I’m hiding!” She shuts the cabinet door.

Esperanza goes over to the men, "Would you like some coffee?”

Warner, politely, “Coffee would be very nice.”

Esperanza turns back to Mae, “Where is the coffee maker?”

Mae goes over to the pantry, “I try to keep it right here. Nobody ever puts it back in the right place." The two women search the pantry for the coffee and coffee maker.

Warner says in a low voice, “This isn't going to be easy. We will suffer, but we will suffer gladly for Christ.”

Vesper, “You don't know what suffering is.”

Suddenly, an explosion bursts through the wall, above where Grace is hiding. Immediately, the men in the living room dive for their guns, including Warner and Vesper.

Mae screams, “Grace?! Grace?!”

Warner runs over to the cabinet and starts shifting through the debris. Elías and Wayne cry and run to their mothers. The other men shoot their guns through windows, doors, and what other spaces are available, and are met with return fire.

Mae keeps screaming, “Where is Grace?!”

Warner yells back at her, “Get the rest of the kids, and run! Go into the mines! We gotta get out of here!”

Mae grabs Esperanza’s arm, “Come with me!”

Warner moves a heavy piece of concrete, and he finds Grace, covered in dust, screaming, and bleeding for her ears. He scoops her into his arms.

Out back, Mae, Vesper, and Esperanza all struggle to carry their children and run away from the fight. Soldiers fire on them, and Vesper returns fire. Other mothers with their children run with them. One of the mothers, a child in her arms, is hit, and falls. Other men fire back at the soldiers, trying to protect the women.

Mae leads them towards a rock formation with an entrance on it, “The old silver mine, it’s out escape route, go in there!”

Back inside, Warner fires out the front window. He looks around, trying to quickly assess the situation. He makes a decisions and yells at his men, “Retreat, retreat! Get to the mine, hold them off!” He runs out the back door, the men firing back behind him. A good distance in the mine, Mae, Esperanza, and Vesper struggle to light lanterns. Other women and children have joined them.

Mae, speaking above the wails of the children, “It’s an old silver mine, we have it all mapped, there’s another exit about five miles south. We can get out there.”

Vesper, “And what if they have us blocked off there?!”

Mae, “I know Warner has a plan to get us out. I put my faith God.”

Vesper, “God won’t help us when this chamber gets flooded with tear gas!”

Mae, steadfast, “Warner has a plan.” The sound of another screaming child grows closer, and Mae looks out into the darkness.

Warner appears, still holding on to Grace, “We can hold them off, you all need to go in further!”

Mae rushes over and tries to take Grace in her arms, “Grace, Grace! Praise God!” Grace clings tighter to Warner as Mae tries to take her.

Warner, “Grace, sweetie, let mommy take you.” Grace keeps screaming, crying and clinging to Warner.

Finally, Mae wrestles her away, and Grace wails, “Daddy! Daddy!”

Mae tries to console her, but touches the blood coming from her ears, “Her ears are bleeding!”

Warner, “Deal with that later, you have to get to safety, now! There’s food stores about a mile in, I’ll meet you there!”

Esperanza tries to say, “A mile?!” but Warner runs off. Mae goes into the cave. Another woman shines a small flashlight to find a small cluster of lanterns. She picks two up and hands one to Mae and one to Esperanza.

Mae holds hers up, “Come on.” The group marches forward while a gun battle carries on behind them. The children cry. Mae carries Grace, who still whines and cries. Esperanza carries Bonnie in her arms. Mercy marches beside her holding Elías’s hand.

Wayne walks beside Mae, crying and carrying on, “Mama, I’m tiiiired!"

Mae, the crying grating on her nerves, “I know you're tired Wayne! We’re all tired! You just have to be a brave soldier and keep going!”

Mercy reaches over and takes Wayne's hand. He stops whining but wipes tears from his face. Mercy looks up at Mae and asks softly, "Is Grace okay?”

Mae, “She’s fine. Just got a bump on the head is all.”

Grace keeps wailing in Mae’s arms.

Mae tries to comfort her, “Grace, baby, stop crying. Grace? Grace!” Grace doesn’t notice, and keeps wailing.

Esperanza, “Did she rupture her eardrums?”

Mae, “How the hell am I supposed to know?!”

Esperanza, “She needs a doctor!”

Mae, “Well, we don’t have a doctor, do we?! Wayne, stop crying!” Wayne keeps crying.

Mercy, still holding on to Elías, goes over to Wayne, and takes his hand. Wayne looks up at her with big, wet eyes. Mercy gives him a gentle, brave smile, “Don’t be scared.”

• Grainy home video (insp: [David Koresh home video](https://youtu.be/PbQFB8crxok?t=21)), Warner sits with Grace in his lap. Mae is at his side, Bonnie in her lap, and Wayne in between them.

Warner, “My name is Warner Judd. This is my wife, Mae, and our children, Grace, Wayne, and Bonnie,” he turns to Wayne, “Say hello.”

Wayne shyly waves his hand, “Hi.”

Warner, “My wife and my children are only alive now by the grace of God, because King Allen and his troops attacked our compound, our home, with reckless disregard for their lives. Grace is my oldest, she’s six years old. Her eardrums were ruptured in the attack, and she has been rendered deaf. It has been claimed that I am a dangerous man, but what danger could a six-year-old little girl possibly pose to anyone, let alone a powerful king with an entire army protecting him? I will defend my family when it is attacked. A king who attacks children is not a just king. Any man who attacks children is wicked to his core. But we already knew this about Allen White. For years, I fought for him in Central America, and I have seen first-hand the greed and barbarity with which he rules. He cannot provide these beautiful children with the future they deserve. Right now, I have to ask the people of Ammon, are we going to let this happen? If there is anyone in this country with a conscience, anyone who calls himself Christian, he must stand up and declare that Allen White is no longer king. Those who do nothing take the side of tyranny. Allen White is no longer our king. God is our true king. And we are afraid of nothing.”

Behind the camera, Vesper holds up cue cards. He nods and says, "Good job."

  * In his palace, King Allen reviews the video, with Prince Richard and a bunch of other advisors and generals around him.



Allen, “This is ridiculous! He’s deliberately putting his children in danger by keeping them with him!”

Richard speaks up, “There’s arrest warrants out for the mothers, as well. Maybe we should give them some sort of deal that lets the mothers stay with their kids in a safe place.”

Allen, “I’m not coddling terrorists. They made their choices, now they have to live with them. When people are trying to destroy us, the worst thing we can possibly do is show any sign of weakness.”

  * Vesper sits in a tent, listening to the radio. King Allen gives and address, “Anyone who attacks me will be met with violence!” Vesper gets up and goes outside. He walks along a line of tents, all set up as an active rebel army camp, until he reaches the end and goes inside.



Inside, Warner flips through a children’s sign language book, with several more on the table. He yells at the guys who brought them, “How the hell is she supposed to learn to communicate from these?! She was just learning to read, and look, look at this diagram!” He flops the book down at the table, “How the hell am I supposed to do that?” He tries to recreate the sign confusingly illustrated in the book.

Vesper speaks up, “Warner.”

Warner, “Not now Vesper!” He continues to yell at the guys who brought the books, “She needs an actual teacher! We all need an actual teacher!”

Guy, “Do you mean like… we should kidnap someone?”

Warner, “Do whatever the hell we have to do. I’m not letting Grace go without language.”

Vesper, more insistent, “Warner, Allen’s on the radio, vowing to destroy us.”

Warner shoots him a dirty look, “So what else is new? Do you really think he’s gonna just sit back and let us take over? He’s gonna bring a fight, and we’re ready for it.”

Vesper, "Do you have any idea what we're going to do next?"

Warner, "What, next?"

Vesper, "We can’t just kill Allen and declare ourselves in charge."

Warner, "You figure that out! I have my own things to deal with now!”

  * Warner takes Grace into a tent, where he sets her on a seat. He kneels down so that he’s eye to eye with her.



Warner, softly, “Grace, Grace, look at me….”

She looks down at her feet.

Warner gently touches her face to get her attention. He points from her eyes to his face, “Look at me.”

She looks at him.

He smiles, “Good girl.” He points to himself, “I,” he crosses his arms over his chest in the sign for love, “Love," he points to Grace, “You. Understand?" He repeats his actions, “I love you. Come on, you do it,” he makes the signs, "I love you."

Grace mimics his actions.

A huge smile breaks out over Warner's face, "Good girl! I love you!” He repeats the signs, and Grace repeats them after him. She smiles brightly and signs I love you on her own.

Warner, “Yeah, you got this! I love you!” He makes the signs, and she repeats them. Warner hugs her tightly and kisses her on the head, “Good girl, good girl.”

  * A massive protest in front of the palace of Ammon. Riot troops for a long, dark, menacing line in front of the palace.  
Inside, Allen watches it all. He turns to his top official, "Enough of this. Open fire.”



([“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” Johnny Cash](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krtm_gUAadI)) Below, the troops begin to fire on the protesters, who run away in panic, screaming on horror. In the chaos, a few protesters pull out guns and begin to fight back. The scene turns into a bloody shootout.

o In a tent, Esperanza gives birth with Mae attending. Mae places newborn Isolda into Esperanza’s arms, and Mercy and Elías rush in to see their new sister.

o Warner stands in the back of a transport vehicle. In the middle of the night, the Christian Front launches an attack on a small Ammonian army base. Warner courageously leads the charge.

o In his fancy palace apartment living room Prince Richard watches the news. The headline reads “Christian Front takes control of army base.” Zachary sits on the couch, anxiously looking at his father for reassurance.

o In a damaged building, a teacher teaches Grace, Mercy, Wayne, and Elías sign language. There’s a sudden movement out the window, and the teacher looks up, tense and worried.

o The kids once again get rushed out of the camp, terrified and under fire.

o Vesper reads to a gathered crowd of weary troops, “ _So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand._ ”

o Mae sets a tiny, home-made, un-frosted cake with five lit candles in front of Wayne. He blows the candles out.

o A building in a city blows up.

o In a makeshift hospital, Mercy and Grace help Esperanza bandage up wounded soldiers.

o Warner shows a slightly older-looking Wayne how to shoot a gun.

o A slightly older Grace holds her own new baby sister (Mackynzie) and a now-toddler Bonnie while Mae helps build bombs.

o Richard and Zachary get driven through a city. Their car turns a corner, and they are met with the grisly image of a highway overpass with several bloodied bodies hanging from it. Richard immediately starts telling the driver to turn around. Zachary can’t take his eyes away.

o Esperanza huddles with Mercy, Elías, and Isolda in a leaking tent.

o Mae holds a pot out while Wayne and Warner butcher a deer.

o Grace shows Bonnie how to brush her teeth.

o Vesper prays over a row of bodies in bloody sheets.

o Warner stands in in the back of a crowded transport, holding on to something for safety, a bible in his free hand, “ _With God’s help, I can advance against a troop, with my God, I can scale a wall. It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, my Rock, my Savior!_ ”

o Zachary, now about fifteen, is hurried onto a waiting helicopter with his mother and grandmother, suitcases in hand, “Dad, what's going on?”

Richard, "You just need to go. We’re sending you somewhere safe. You’re gonna be alright.”

o Below, the Christian Front launches a final assault against King Allen.

o Allen sits in his office, contemplating everything coming to an end around him, the sound of gunfire coming through the walls. The door bursts open, and Warner calmly walks in. He and Allen stare at each other for a moment.

Warner, “Your time has come.”

  * In the ruined throne room, Allen and Richard kneel, their hands bound before them. Warner and Vesper stand behind them, Warner holding a gun. Nine-year-old Wayne stands off to the side. Soldiers of the Christian Front stand watching in anticipation. Warner raises the gun and shoots Allen. Wayne watches without flinching. Warner steps over to Richard, and then shoots him.



Vesper, softly, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name..."

Warner looks down at the bodies in front of him. Richard moans and moves, struggling to roll over. Warner grabs him by the shoulder and flips in onto his back. The bullet has hit Richard but not killed him.

Vesper looks down in disgust, “Good God, don’t let him suffer.”

Warner doesn’t take his eyes off Richard, “Wayne, come here.”

Wayne steps forward, and Warner pulls a knife out of his belt.

He puts it in Wayne’s hand, “Finish him off.”

Vesper steps forward, “Warner!”

Wayne looks at the knife.

Vesper, “He’s a child!”

Warner, “And he’s the future king of Ammon. Come on Wayne.” He puts his hands on Richard’s head and shoulders. He pushes the head back to expose the blood vessels of the neck, “You know how to do this. Just like a deer.”

Vesper, “Have you lost your mind?!”

Wayne kneels down, puts one hand on Richard’s head to balance himself, and then buries the knife into Richard's neck. Richard sputters and gurgles, the blood spurts. Finally, Richard goes limp.

  * Mercy (10) sleeps in a big, fancy bed in a big, fancy room. The door opens, and Vesper comes in.



Gently, he shakes Mercy awake, “Mercy, sweetie.”

Mercy groans and stirs, “Hm?”

Vesper, “Mercy, sweetie, you have to get up. We’re leaving.”

Mercy, “What?”

Vesper, “You have to help Isolda and Amada get ready. Come on.”

Cut to: a lone highway at night, Vesper drives a van with a once again pregnant Esperanza in the passenger seat. Mercy and Amada (2) sit in the middle row, Elías (7) and Isolda (4) in the back. Mercy tries to stop Amada’s crying.

Vesper talks angrily to Esperanza (everyone is speaking Spanish), “This is no nation of God. I wanted to build a government that protects its most vulnerable citizens, not forces them to get married!”

Esperanza, nervous, “Where are we going?”

Vesper, “There's a place in Carmel. I have a plan, I’ll tell you when we get there.”

Mercy speaks up from the back seat, “What about Grace and Wayne? Are we gonna be allowed to see them again?”

Vesper, “Pray that we do.”

  * The Abbadons are all dressed for a formal royal family portrait. They’re in a makeshift compound, but they sit in front of a backdrop that makes them look fancy. Esperanza wears the sunburst tiara along with fine jewels and a beautiful dress. She holds a newborn Gabriel in a fancy bundle in her lap.



Esperanza speaks to Vesper in Spanish, “I don’t know if this is necessary.”

Vesper, “If Carmel is going to be an independent nation, we have to project ourselves at its royal family. I can’t just declare myself king, I have to act the part.”

Mercy says to Esperanza, “You look beautiful, Mama.”

Esperanza smiles down at her, “Thank you, sweetie.”

  * Vesper and Warner scream incomprehensibly at Royal Council. Kings Lawrence, George (Aram), and Harold (Samaria), along with Gerald all listen intently and try to make sense of the back and forth. Silas and King Norris (Moab) exchange eye-rolls of extreme boredom.



Warner, “You couldn’t build your own army, so you set a camp full of war criminals free!”

Vesper, “When I vowed to build a kingdom of God, I vowed to build one in which its people would be free, not further oppressed!”

Warner, “Carmel is a part of Ammon, it has always been a part of Ammon, and you cannot just declare yourself independent!”

Vesper, “You can’t just declare yourself king!”

With the Judds, Mae is once again pregnant, and she now has at her side Grace, Wayne, Bonnie, Mackynzie, and Hank. A translator translates for Grace. Across the massive ballroom, Esperanza sits with Mercy, Elías, Isolda, Amada, and baby Gabriel in her lap. Mercy and Grace catch each other’s eyes across the room. Mercy sadly waves at Grace, and Grace waves back.

  * Vesper paces in a run-down situation room at the compound, surrounded by formerly Royal generals who still wear the old uniforms they wore under King Allen.



General, “We have the resources to defend ourselves for a short time. Our best hope is that if Warner declares war on us, we can get foreign aid and hold him off. Invading the rest of Ammon is out of the question."

Vesper, “Not if the people rise up against Warner!”

Aide, “I don’t know if that’s going to happen. He was out front during the war, being a hero while you just made speeches.”

Vesper, “It _will_ happen! It has to happen!”

  * The Abbadon children huddle in a dark closet. Mercy holds a wailing Gabriel in her arms and tries to hush his crying.



Outside the door, the sound of Esperanza yelling in Spanish, “ _No los niños, Vesper! No los niños! No te dejaré harcerlo!_ ” A long, horrifying scream. Mercy winces, sobs and cuddles Gabriel close to her.

The sound of a commotion, men yelling, “Put your hands up, now! Put the knife down! PUT THE KNIFE DOWN!”

Elías positions himself between the door and his sisters. The sound of softened voices. Slowly, the door creaks open. Mercy braces for the worst. Silas stands on the other side, staring down at them with a mixture of horror and pity.

  * On a TV screen with closed captioning, a news anchor reads, “Vesper Abbadon was executed today for crimes against humanity.”



Warner turns the TV off. Grace and Wayne both sit on a sofa, watching the TV with him. Warner turns to both of them and signs as he speaks, “You need to pray for Vesper’s soul tonight.”

Grace signs, “What happened to Mercy?”

Warner, “I don’t know. If I could, I’d have them all here, and I’d raise them as your brothers and sisters. I asked King Silas himself, and he won’t say anything.”

Wayne, “Are they dead?”

Warner sighs and shakes his head, “They might be.”

Grace sobs. Warner kneels down and hugs her tightly.

  * Mercy sits on a sofa in a suburban living room. Her new adoptive parents, Joe and Marcia, speak to her.



Marcia, “Your name is Elizabeth Garcia now. It’s going to take some getting used to, but it’s the best way to keep you safe.”

Mercy, “I want to see my brothers and sisters.”

Joe, “You know we can’t do that, sweetie. Keeping you safe means nobody can know who you are.”

Mercy, “This isn’t fair! You’re not my parents!”

Marcia kneels down and puts a hand on Mercy’s shoulder, “Yes, we are.”

  * At the Rabbath Academy for the Deaf, teenage Grace and her female classmates receive sex ed from a scary Aunt Lydia-looking bitch, “Sex is a holy act that God created to be experienced between a husband and wife in the creation of new life. It is a beautiful expression of love and devotion. As women, we must protect our virtue, our special gifts intended only for our husbands. Virtuous women are modest in every way, through dress, expression, and action."



  * "[IT'S GETTIN' HOT IN HERRE, SO TAKE OFF ALL YOUR CLOTHES](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8vLMHeO_5s)” pounds over the speakers of the private room of a fancy strip club while teenage Wayne, Jack, Quentin, and all the other princes chug bottles of champagne and enjoy the debauchery of Prince Club. Wayne throws a wad of cash at a stripper’s twerking ass.



  * Joe and Marcia sit in a classroom with a teacher.



Teacher, “I’m aware of Elizabeth’s story.”

Marcia, “She lost her family in the war.”

Teacher, “Yes, I have other refugee students, some of whom also lost their families. Elizabeth is a very bright student, and I’ve never seen any behavior problems from her, which is why I was so disturbed when she claimed to be Mercy Abbadon… I mean… there’s no truth to it, is there?”

Joe and Marcia look at each other. Softly, Marcia says, “She… She has this delusion. She believes that she’s Mercy Abbadon. She uses it to cope with losing her siblings… She says they’re still alive, just living with other families. Just call King Warner, she’ll be with her best friend, Princess Grace, again. It’s a coping mechanism. She clings to it. We’ve been taking her to doctors. I don’t know how much good it’s doing.”

Out in the hallway, teenage Mercy fight back tears of rage, and uses a bent paperclip to gouge a long, shallow cut into her arm.

  * Back at home, Marcia screams at Mercy, “If you don’t stop it, we’re going to have to move again! Do you want to be sent to another school?”



Mercy, distraught, “Why?! Why can’t I tell people who I am?!”

Marcia, “Your father murdered thousands of innocent people! Millions of people want revenge on him, and they’ll settle for you!”

Mercy, “King Silas just uses me to antagonize Warner!”

Marcia, “It’s _King_ Warner, and King Silas is keeping you and your siblings safe!”

Mercy, “You don’t even know where my siblings are, how can you know if they’re safe?!”

Marcia, “They’re safe because no one knows who you are!”

Mercy sobs, “You don’t know that they’re safe!”

Marcia, “The bottom line is if you don’t keep your mouth shut, you’ll end up like your father.”

  * Mercy, pale and drawn, wakes up in a hospital bed. She peers through a gap in the curtains surrounding her, and sees Marcia talking to a doctor.



Marcia, “She has this delusion. When she wakes up, she’s going to claim that she’s Mercy Abbadon…”

Mercy tries to raise her arms, but she’s held down with restraints. She has bandages on her wrists.

Marcia looks over and sees her. She enters the curtained area, “Elizabeth! You scared us!”

Mercy sobs helplessly, “Why don’t you let me die?”

Marcia, “No, please, sweetie, don’t talk like that.”

Mercy, “Why don’t you let me die?!”

  * Mercy sits hunched over miserably in a psychiatrist’s office.



Psychiatrist, “When did you start claiming to be Mercy Abbadon?”

Mercy looks at him, “My name is Elizabeth Garcia. Mercy Abbadon is dead.”

  * Late night, Wayne lays in bed, staring at an old photograph: the royal Abbadon family. Mercy, as Wayne knew her, vibrant, beautiful, and dignified. Wayne sticks his hand down his pants and begins to pleasure himself.



  * Adult Mercy works her coffee shop job with a name tag that reads ELIZABETH. She hands a customer cup, “That’ll be $4.75.” The customer pays and steps away.



Mercy glances up at the small TV that’s set up for waiting television. Warner gives a press conference.

A second customer approaches Mercy, “Yeah, I’d like a caramel latte…”

Mercy ignores her, “Hold on, I want to hear this.”

Mercy’s POV on the TV.

Warner, “For fifteen years, King Silas Benjamin lied to the world. He said that Vesper Abbadon was killed in the conquest of Carmel, but that is not true. Abbadon is alive and well, and he has been held in the palace of Gilboa.”

The scene quickly fades to black.

Suddenly, Mercy is on the floor of the supply room, screaming and clutching her head. Her co-workers gather around her, “Liz! Liz!”

The male co-worker, Brendan, looks at the female co-worker, Ashley, “Do we call 911 or something?”

Ashley, “I don’t know! LIZ!”

Mercy gasps and wails.

Brendan catches her as she leans over, and tries to comfort her, “Hey, Liz, are you okay?”

Ashley, “Fuck. I mean, she said she was from Carmel.”

Brendan, “Yeah, I’m from Carmel. Leave me alone with her, I’ll get her to calm down, okay?”

Ashley looks at him uneasily for a moment, and then says, “Okay. Get me if you need me.” She leaves.

Brendan gently strokes Mercy’s hair, “Hey, it’s okay.”

Mercy moves away from him, calming down somewhat.

Brendan, “I… I didn’t lose my parents or siblings, but I still lost like half my family. Why the fuck did Silas keep Abbadon alive?”

Mercy shakes her head, “You don’t know… You don’t know.”

  * Vesper sits alone in a jail cell. The door opens, and Warner enters. He sits down across from Vesper, and they stare at each other for a moment.



Warner, “Do you have anything to say?”

Vesper, “I’ve had fifteen years to say everything that I need to say. I kept journals, wrote very long letters to my children. I think I got it all out. Do you have anything to say?”

Warner, "I have plenty to say.” He thinks for a long moment, then laughs a little bit, and shakes his head, “I just can’t seem to think of any of it right now. When I look at you, I get filled with this rage, this howl of betrayal. I want you to feel what you put me through.”

Vesper, “Many people do.”

Warner, “Do you know what happened to your children?”

Vesper, “They were separated, raised by Gilboan families. I got to meet them briefly before coming here. They… I know they’ve been hurt, and it would take me much more time than I have available to even begin to comprehend the extent of that hurt. But they survive, carry on. I want nothing but peace and happiness for them. If that involves my execution, so be it. I gladly accept what I deserve.” He looks Warner in the eye, “We fucked it all up, Warner.”

Warner, outraged, “ _We_?!”

Vesper, “Yes, we. I didn’t know what I was doing, I thought my moral righteousness would build a nation for me, but I put too much faith in my own ego. You, you knew how to lead, how to build, you just did it without love.”

Warner, “Ammon is a nation of God!”

Vesper, “It is a nation of purity without love! _If I have not love, I am but a resounding gong! If I have not love, I am nothing! If I have not love, I gain nothing!_ ”

Warner, “Don’t you dare quote scripture at me!”

Vesper, “I’m a professor of linguistics and theology, all I have is scripture! I listen to it! I ask questions and search for answers! All you’ve ever done is recite, never question!”

Warner, “Where was your scripture when you ordered those troops to kill civilians?!”

Vesper, “I never claimed I wasn’t a sinner. I’m a monster, a beast. But you can’t see the plank in your eye. You have failed your people, failed God, and failed your children.”

Warner, “My children have nothing to do with this!”

Vesper, “ _Where there are prophesies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. When I was a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child. When I became a man, I put childish things behind me. And now three things remain: hope, faith and love. But the greatest of these is love!_ ”

Warner shakes his head, “Are you ready to meet God, Vesper?”

Vesper, “I am.”

  * Warner stands beside Wayne in an execution chamber. Vesper stands at the gallows, the noose around his neck. Warner stares at him, and he gives one last smirk as the executioner puts a hood over his head.



Wayne murmurs to Warner, “Send him straight to hell.”

Warner looks at Wayne, “Pray for him.” The executioner pulls the lever, and Vesper falls. Warner looks back at the gallows, but he’s missed it.

  * The Abbadon siblings gather around the dinner table in Mercy’s small apartment. Mercy spoons out portions of chicken mole. A smiling picture of Esperanza is up on the wall.



Mercy, “I remember Mama making this. I tried to make it like she did, but I don’t have her recipe.” She sits down.

Elías tears into a wing, “Oh my god, this is so good!”

Mercy smiles, “Like Mama made it?”

Elías, “Not quite, but close!”

Gabriel tentatively pokes at his piece with a fork, “I’ve never had this before?”

Mercy, “Really?”

Gabriel, “Yeah. My parents- we, ugh… we don’t eat much Mexican food.”

Mercy, “There’s plenty of time to try new things.”

Gabriel takes a bite, and smiles, “It’s really good.”

Mercy, “I’m glad.”

Gabriel, “I used to think that I would never know anything about my parents. It’s so weird to think about my mom, to give her a face and a name, and eat her food.”

Mercy, “She loved us all very much.”

  * At [Grace’s wedding](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1naKcbBEM0hCyVhDro1vbUnJW-oJZiDWU?usp=sharing), Mercy, the maid of honor, reads and [signs](https://youtu.be/j2s_dXgICO4?t=16), “ _Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast; it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails_.”



Grace beams as Mercy reads. Warner looks up at her with a curious expression, pained and loving at the same time.

  * Grace and Gus dance at their reception. The song ends and Gus finishes with a romantic kiss. At the sidelines, Mercy smiles and applauds. Warner approaches Grace and takes her for a dance.



Wayne approaches Mercy, “Would you care to dance?”

Mercy, uneasily, “Wouldn’t you rather dance with Hattie?”

Wayne holds out his hands, “She won’t mind.”

Nervously, Mercy takes his hand, and he leads her out to the dance floor. They dance awkwardly for a little bit. Grace looks uneasily over at Mercy, but Mercy gives her a reassuring smile.

Wayne, softly, “You know, I always thought I’d marry you.”

Mercy, “It’s kind of late for that, isn’t it?”

Wayne, “I suppose.” He leans in close and sniffs her hair, “You’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”

Mercy sees Hattie giving her a dirty look, “Wayne, Hattie can see you.”

Wayne pulls his head back, “It’s truly a miracle that you’ve been brought back to us.”

Mercy, “I've always been here. Just hidden.”

Wayne, “Miracles happen. I just have to keep my faith.”

Mercy smiles uneasily.

  * Warner sits at a dinner table with his family. Everyone is there: Wayne, Hattie, Gus Grace, Bonnie, and her husband.



Grace signs, “I’m so happy to be teaching at my old school. I’m really grateful that I was able to have deaf teachers. They’re so important for deaf kids to have.”

Warner is sweaty and somewhat uncomfortable-looking. He takes another sip from his whiskey glass, and winces.

Mae glances at him, “Are you all right, Warner?”

Warner, “I’m fine, just… Ugh, I think I might have picked up a bug somewhere.” He tries to stand up, but collapses to the floor.

The women scream and rush to him, but Wayne stays calmly in his seat, enjoying his meal.

  * Mercy sits in the council chamber with David, Jack, Abby, Asher, Joel, Shay, and his other generals.



David, “He can’t just fucking declare war because he wants to!”

Abby, “David, by now you should know that Wayne is going to do whatever the hell he wants.”

David, “Yeah, but why is he doing this shit now, instead of waiting for something to happen, so he at least has a bullshit excuse?”

Shay, “If he wants to attack, let him attack. We’re fortified, in position, and ready for anything he can throw at us.”

David, “I’m not sacrificing lives so Wayne can go on some bullshit ego trip! We can’t be out of diplomatic options!”

Abby, “And we’re not, but we’re running out of them. I think we need to face reality: if Wayne is determined to do this, he’s going to do it.”

Mercy, “Let me talk to him.”

David, “What?”

Mercy, “Let me talk to Wayne. I… I think I can make some sort of deal with him.”

  * Mercy sits in a small room with Wayne on a screen.



Wayne, “Tell David that the only thing he can do is hand over Carmel. It's a part of Ammon, and I’m not letting him keep it.”

Mercy, “I know this, and David's going to defend it.”

Wayne, “Then war it is!”

Mercy, “Wayne, wait.”

Wayne, “What?”

Mercy sits for a moment, thinking, and then says, “Is there anything I can do? Anything I can give you, that will make you call this off?”

Wayne stares at her, considering all the implications of this question. Finally, he says, “Marry me.”

Mercy, “You’re already married!”

Wayne, “A king can have multiple wives! I married Hattie because I thought I’d never see you again. I love her, and I won’t divorce her and leave her alone, but I know what I want, and what I’m entitled to. I have spent years loving you, not knowing if you were even alive. Now that I know, I can’t be happy unless I know you’re mine. If you marry me, Mercy, I’ll call off this war. Please.”

  * David talks to Grace and her interpreter in a hallway. A door opens, and Mercy steps out. They both look at her.



Quietly she says, “I… I got Wayne to agree to call off the war.”

David, “What? How?”

Mercy, “Can I talk to Grace in private?”

  * ([“Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea” MISSIO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87YL0bhqFSw)) Mercy sits in a white dress while people do her makeup and brush her hair. She shuts her eyes as someone places the sunburst tiara on her head, and then pulls a veil over it.



Cut to: Elías walks Mercy down the aisle. The pews are empty, except for immediate family members. Isolda, Amada, and Gabriel sit in the bride’s side of the chapel, all of the Judds on the other. Grace can’t help herself from crying. Hattie stands beside Wayne, stony-faced, her rage and sorrow buried deep within her.

Wayne is blissfully oblivious of all this. He takes Mercy’s hand as she approaches him, and then removes the veil from her face.

They stand and watch as a pastor recites, “ _Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing_.”

Mercy faces Wayne.

Pastor, “Do you, Mercy take Wayne to be your husband?”

Mercy, “I do.”

Pastor, “Do you, Wayne, take Mercy to be your wife?”

Wayne, delighted, “I do!”

Pastor, “I hereby pronounce you husband and wife.”

Wayne embraces Mercy and kisses her passionately.

  * After the ceremony, the Abbadons stand grouped in a circle, a tight group hug.



Mercy, “ _Los amo a todos muchísimos. No te preocupes por mi._ ”

Everyone nods glumly, “ _Si._ ”

Mercy kisses Gabriel on the cheek.

  * Mercy sits in a fancy bathroom, wearing a silky pink dressing gown. She stares down at the ground.



Outside the door Wayne’s voice, “Mercy, are you ready?”

Mercy takes a deep, shaking breath, “Yeah, just… just give me a moment.” She exhales, still shaking. She presses her hands against her face and composes herself. She takes a bottle of lube from the counter top. She squeezes some onto her fingers, reaches between her legs, and puts it on herself. She wipes her fingers off. She takes one final moment to herself, and then stands.

She opens the door, and Wayne stands on the other side, in [the master suite of the royal yacht](https://imgur.com/r/RoomPorn/qO68Y). He’s naked, his overwhelming maleness is on full display. He stares at her, his eyes taking in every inch. Nervously, she approaches her.

Wayne, "This is what God wants. He wanted our families united."

Mercy takes her robe off. Wayne steps forward and kisses her passionately. She turns her face to the side, “Just be gentle with me, okay? I’ve never done this before.”

Cut to: Wayne moans ecstatically as he makes love to her, “Oh, you don’t know how long I’ve dreamt of this.”

Mercy stares off and doesn’t say anything.

Wayne, “I love you. I’ve always loved you. I love you so much.” He cries out in pleasure. She tighten her arms around him. He pants as he nears climax, “Mercy, Mercy…”

She shuts her eyes and makes a tiny gasp, “Wayne.”

He cries out again as he finishes, and then falls limp against her, “Oh, Mercy…”

She strokes his hair, contemplating, determined. It's done. She is in control now.


	68. OOPS I fucked up!

Okay..... so...... something happened, which I was afraid would happen. I realized a chapter that I'd posted needed to be completely re-arranged in the story and was holding back the story the way I want to tell it. Basically, I need to edit.

I haven't had to do this yet because I've been posting chapters that have been written long in advance, chapters that I've already gone back through a re-worked and re-organized.

So if you read the chapter that was originally here, please forget you read it. The next chapter will be picking up from the chapter before this. And the next chapter WILL be coming soon. I promise!

Sorry about the fuck up!


	69. S7, E6: A New Union

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.... about last chapter. I need you all to completely forget you ever read it. 
> 
> I was having a really, really, REALLY hard time getting this chapter to work, when I had the sickening realization that I'd gone and placed a major plot point in entirely the wrong place. So I've torn the whole thing down and I'm starting again. The story picks up from S7, E5 "If I Have Not Love."

David is in the council chamber, surrounded by everyone, “I've had the idea for a North American Union for a while. The coup attempt in Moab made me really start to think about it, and this whole mess with Mercy has convinced me that it needs to happen. Kings need to be held accountable. There needs to be a set of laws in place that mean you can’t just declare war for no reason. There needs to be a system in place that guarantees stable rule, not just a series of coup after coup. This union could be it."

Abby, "David, you are going to be asking monarchies that have ruled absolute for over five hundred years to cede some of their power. It's a noble idea, but it’s going to be impossible-”

David interrupts, "We've done the impossible.”

Joel, “It’s not entirely impossible. We can find ways to create social pressure in other countries.”

Asher rolls his eyes, “I’m not even going to get into the hypocrisy of creating a union to end coups by threatening to start an uprising.”

Jack speaks up, “The heirs.”

David, “What?”

Jack, “We're not alone. Leon. Quentin. Maybe Iris. We can get them on our side.”

Abby, "We have that big state dinner in Gath coming up. We may be able to pull something then. But even if that works, Quentin is only second in line to the throne of Edom, and thanks to my brother, that role is in question. Edom and the Merritts are entirely bound by honor and tradition, and Lawrence is _very_ set in his ways. Honestly, I think we’ll have an easier time getting Ammon to sign on than Edom.”

David, “I still want to move forward. If we can build momentum, that can still lead to something happening. I'm serious. Abby, I want you and Joel to put together a rough draft of what an agreement might look like. I know it's crazy, but crazy is nothing new."

Abby sighs, “Fine. But, seriously, the state dinner in Gath is what we need to be focused on. It’s Michael's big chance to show off al the progress that's been made since the peace deal. He's going to want his ego flattered, and yes, David, you're the one who has to do it."

David rolls his eyes, "Is there anything else today?”

Monique speaks up, "You're meeting with Annie Leung, the documentary maker.”

David, “What?”

Monique, "The AFG documentary I've been trying to put together for the past three years. You’re meeting with the director to discuss things.”

David, “Like being interviewed?”

Monique, “We’re all being interviewed this week, you need to set something up. You knew this was coming.”

David, “Yeah, I did, I just… thought it was still a ways off.” He sighs and makes a face.

Jack grins at Monique, “Told you.”

David, “Told her what?”

Jack, “You’d be like this,” he puts on a mocking pout and adopts a low, dramatic voice, “ _I don’t want to talk about it._ ”

David, "I don't like bringing up the past, all right? I do enough of that shit with my therapist.”

Monique, "You were just talking all about the future a second ago. Don't you know that the past and the future are all tied up together?”

  * David sits across from Monique and Annie Leung.



David, “You'll have to forgive me. Monique probably already warned you, I don't really like talking about the war.”

Annie, "It's very important history that needs to be recorded.”

Monique, "I wouldn't have brought Annie here if I didn't absolutely know that she's the right person for this job."

David, "Yeah, yeah, I know. I completely trust your judgement in all of this, it's just the whole digging up the past thing. People have this image of the war and how it all went, and how it was great and glorious and a lot of fun. It… it wasn't fun. It actually sucked. A lot. And that’s the thing I don't like talking about.”

Annie, “Well, that's what I'm interested in hearing. I don't want to make some big patriotic piece of propaganda. I know the war had to suck for you, but it also fucking sucked for the people who were trying just to live through it. Honestly, I think the only person the war didn't completely suck for was Alek Amal. I want to tell the real truth, not just the truth we tell ourselves.”

David, "Okay. I like that. I’m starting to see why Monique chose you."

Annie, “I actually spent a fair amount of time embedded with the AFG. I got some incredible footage that will be the backbone of much of the story. I've spent the past year or so conducting interviews with AFG veterans.”

David, "Oh yeah? Like who?”

Annie, "Adam Solano.”

David, "Adam? Seriously? Jeez, I haven't heard from him since... since he left. I’ve tried to keep track of him, but he kind of went into hiding. I guess that means you've also talked to Beth, right?"

Annie, "I have."

David, “See, this is why I don't like talking about the past. I mean, I know it's an important part of the story, and I'm not gonna deny that it happened-”

Annie, “Do you mean the affair, or the death of Ryan Hitt?”

David grows flustered and shifts uncomfortably in his seat, “It wasn't an affair- I, I mean, yeah, okay, I- I cheated, but that’s all it was,” he sighs, "See, this is why I don't like talking about the past. It just makes everything hurt again.”

Annie, “You need to talk about it.”

David, “Yeah, I know. And I will.”

  * In the residence, Jack, Michelle, and Rose go through old pictures while Daniel plays happily on the floor.



Rose, “I hope this documentary is fair to your father. The supposed biography that came out last year was terrible.”

Michelle, “It told the truth.”

Rose, “It was very biased.”

Michelle, “Has it ever occurred to you that you might be a little biased?”

Rose, “Your father deserves at least one person advocating for him. I don’t want him to be misunderstood.”

Michelle, “What’s there to misunderstand?”

Jack rolls his eyes, “ _Stop!_ ”

Rose, “Do you know what you’re going to say, Jack?"

Jack sighs, “No.”

Rose, “You should think of what you want to say beforehand, so you can go in prepared.”

Jack, “It’s a lot of talking."

Rose, "Oh, please don't be like that, Jack. You've made an incredible amount of progress, and you should be proud. I certainly am, and your father would be, too."

Michelle, "Do you think Dad would be happy to have Daniel as a grandson?"

Rose, "Oh, what kind of question is that?"

Michelle, “The kind of question that’s been bothering me since Daniel was born."

Rose, “Honestly, I still don't see why you insist that Jack couldn't be a father biologically."

Jack, "I don't want to."

Michelle, “How many times are we going to have this argument?”

Rose, “I’m not arguing. And your father would love Daniel as a grandson. He truly was changing as a person before his death. That’s what I want people to understand. Some things might have taken some getting used to, but he would be happy for you.”

On the floor, Daniel starts fussing and crying.

Rose goes over to him, "Oh no, what's wrong?”

Michelle looks at her watch, "Almost lunch time. Abby will be here soon."

Jack, "Bring him here."

Rose picks Daniel up and makes a face, "Oh, he needs a diaper change."

Jack, “I’ll get it.” He stands up and Rose hands Daniel over to him.

  * In the nursery, Jack finishes with the diaper change. Daniel squirms and fusses.



Jack gently shushes him and picks him up, “I know, I know. It sucks. Can’t talk. Can’t walk. I been there.” He smiles affectionately at Daniel, and then gently kisses his forehead.

  * In his office, Liam finishes his interview with Annie Leung and her crew.



Liam, “So that's it?”

Annie, "Yes, you gave us some excellent footage, thank you."

Liam, "So tell me, what did Adam Solano say?"

Annie, "You'll have to watch when it airs.”

Liam, “Seriously? Come on, I fought beside the guy, I want to know if he’s okay.”

Annie, “If I tell you, you’ll tell David and the others, and they’ll respond to what Adam said when they tell their stories. The whole idea of telling their personal truth falls apart.”

Liam, “I swear I won’t tell David.”

Annie, “I’d rather not risk it.”

The door opens, and Rose’s secretary, Kiera, enters.

Liam keeps on with Annie, “Would you tell me if I bought you dinner.”

Annie, “I absolutely do not date my subjects.”

Liam, “We’re done with the interview, I’m not your subject anymore.”

Kiera, “Here’s today’s press report, Captain Montrose.”

Liam takes some papers from her, “Thank you, Kiera,” he turns back to Annie, “Come on, we're both in the media. We’d have plenty to talk about.”

Annie, “I’m flattered, but not interested.”

  * Annie and Kiera leave Liam’s office at the same time.



Kiera glances over at Annie, "You dodged a bullet there.”

Annie, “Excuse me?"

Kiera, "He's banged so many secretaries around here, Queen Rose had to put a ban on it."

Annie, “Thanks for the warning.”

Kiera, “Hey, gotta look out for each other.”

  * Joel and David talk in David’s office.



Joel, “It’s very rough, but there’s a declaration of human rights, the establishment of a war crimes tribunal, and a system of mutual protection against militias, terrorists, and coups.”

David, “Excellent. This is exactly what I wanted.”

Joel, "It's gonna get a lot more complicated once Abby starts working on it."

David, "That's always what happens. But this is great. It’s definitely something we can start with."

Joel, "Before I go, I have something to ask."

David, "Yeah?”

Joel, “The documentary. We still saying I didn't know about Beth?"

David doesn’t look him in the eye, “Say whatever you want. It doesn't matter anymore.”

Joel, "Except it kinda does. You admitting to lying would seriously undermine this whole thing.”

David, "So the only way to deal with it is more lying?"

Joel, “If it means this Union goes through, then, yeah.”

David stares at him unhappily.

  * The street of Ashdod are lined with cheering and sign-waving onlookers.



In the royal limousine, David looks out in amazement, “Shit, never thought we’d get this kind of reception in Ashdod.”

Jack grins in the seat beside him.

David, "You know, the last two times I entered Ashdod, I was unconscious, severely wounded, and wondering if I'd ever see you again. This is a major improvement.”

Jack eyes the skyline.

David, “You feel that?”

Jack, “Feel what?”

David, “Exactly. No potholes. Look,” he looks around at the passing scenery, “Construction. When was the last time you saw construction here? It’s all because of the economic restructuring deal.”

Jack, quietly, “Hm.”

David looks over at him, “You okay?”

Jack, “Head hurts a little. I’m okay.”

David, “You sure? We can take a break once we get to the hotel.”

Jack, “I’ll be fine.”

David, “When was the last time you had a seizure?”

Jack, exasperated, “David!”

David, “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Jack gives him a look.

David, "Sorry. Guess I'm more nervous about this than I thought.”

  * The motorcade pulls up to The People's Hotel. Crowds cheer wildly as David steps out of the limo and waves. He looks up at the heavily renovated facade of the building as Jack gets out beside him.



David, “Guess they have made a few changes.”

  * The lobby inside is completely unrecognizable with a sleek modern makeover. Lots of marble and glass. Liam is there waiting for David and chatting with a pretty woman dressed professionally. There’s a hubbub outside.



Liam says to the woman, "Looks like he's here."

The front doors open, and David enters with Jack.

Liam goes up to them, “David!”

David, “What?”

Liam, “I have someone I’d like you to meet,” he gestures back to the woman, “This is Lisa Smith, she’s a reporter with Gath's national news service. She would like to talk to you while you tour the hotel.”

David, “Tour?”

Liam, “Yeah as part of the coverage for tonight’s dinner. It’s kind of a big deal. Trying to change Gath’s image and all. Show that it’s got money now and it can be glamorous or some shit.”

David, “What, do you want to see where I got poisoned?”

Lisa, "Yes, exactly!"

David, “Michelle is here with Abby, she might be able to help you."

Lisa, "I won't take too much of your time!"

Liam, “Come on, a little quick publicity.”

David, "I can't," he glances over at Jack, "I have something I need to take care of."

  * In his hotel room, David and Abby confer. Abby has a breast pump strapped to her chest.



Abby, "Joel worked the language so the human rights section is a little more binding. It’s in very good shape. Really, all it comes down to is how it's received.”

David, “Excellent."

Abby, "You have to be a statesman, David. Michael is probably gonna try to upset you, and you can't take the bait."

David, “We’ve had this conversation before.”

Abby, “And you never listen! We’re here promoting peace!"

David, “I’ll behave.”

Abby, “You need to especially be on your best behavior this evening. This dinner is a huge fucking deal for Gath.” She glances down at the full bottles attached to the pump and mutters, “Shit.” She turns the pump off and starts un-strapping herself.

She goes on, “Look, since Daniel was born, I’ve been trying very hard not to make this shit personal, but since my son is the heir to your throne, it kind of fucking is. If we can pull this off, it could be one of the greatest things we ever do for Daniel as parents.”

David, “Abby, do you seriously think that I’m not constantly thinking about that? Every night when I’m trying to fall asleep, that’s all I can think about, how am I gonna fuck this all up for Daniel?”

Abby, “So will you please do that?”

David, “Yes, I will.”

  * In the hallway, Michelle talks to Lisa the reporter and her cameramen, with Liam hanging in the back.



Michelle, “Really, most of the drama happened in these rooms. We did all our planning and building and training downstairs, but in our rooms, on personal time, that’s where the family really came together.”

At the other end of the hallway, Shay leans slumped against a wall, staring at the floor, deep in her thoughts.

Joel opens the door of his room and steps out. He sees Shay, and stands across from her, “Hey, I thought you were looking around."

Shay, “Yeah, we did. Really, there’s not much to see. They completely fucking changed the place. They took the karaoke stage out, now the bar's some kind of bougie-ass bistro or some shit,” she attempts a laugh, “It's like they're trying to erase us or something."

Joel, “Well, if I were Michael, I wouldn't want to remind people that revolutions can start in Gath, too."

Shay, "This shit didn't start in Gath, it… got sidelined to Gath for a little bit.”

Joel, "Still, mass prison break-outs, covert bombing campaigns, David partying with his shirt off, all things I’m sure the government here would rather people forget.”

Shay has to laugh a little bit, and then grows sad, nostalgic, “You know, I always kinda figured we’d be back here at some point. I mean, if we’re running the Gilboan government, then, yeah, it makes sense that we’d have to deal with Gath at some point. I always kinda figured I’d make it back here as General Mendoza… I just never thought I’d be back here without Isaiah.”

The door beside her opens, and David steps out, followed by Jack and Abby. David, “Hey, you guys ready?”

Shay, shifting her tone, “Yeah.”

David, “Let’s go, then.”

  * In a negotiating room, David, Jack, Abby, Shay, and Joel sit across from Michael, Leon, and a bunch of other Gath officials.



David, “First of all, I would like to congratulate Gath on the incredible progress that I witnessed on the drive here.”

Michael, “Thank you. The economic restructuring was very difficult to implement, and it continues to present challenges, but we’re determined to make it work. One of the greatest challenges that I've faced, however, is changing the old misconception that Gath is a military power, and a military power, only, that we can’t have the cultural and economic power that other countries have.”

David, “That’s what tonight’s dinner is for. I wanted to meet with you this afternoon because I’d like to invite to join my proposed North American Union.”

Michael flips through some papers, "Yes, I've read through your proposal."

David goes on, "The North American Union will be bound by a body of laws that will hold each member nation accountable for preventing wars and upholding human rights. It will mean that leaders like us can no longer just declare war on a whim because we want something."

Michael, "Is this inspired by what happened with Mercy Abbadon?"

David, "In part, but also because of the attempted coup in Moab. During his life, King Warner frequently funded insurgent groups in both Moab and Gilboa-”

Michael cuts him off, "Insurgent groups like the AFG?"

David, "The NAU will also mean that leaders like King Silas can no longer just make his political opponents disappear. There won't be a need for freedom groups like the AFG."

Leon, "The proposal is intriguing, but realistically, this is all going to be very difficult to impose. Edom, Samaria, Aram, and of course Ammon still have their own Ministries of State Security-”

Michael cuts him off, "As does Gath."

Leon goes on, “How are you going to get a country like Ammon to join?"

Abby, "This is where the power of unity comes in. The more countries that sign on to the union, the more we can exert economic and social pressure-”

Michael, “Social pressure? What does that mean?”

David, “It means that a lot can happen when citizens start demanding their rights.”

Michael, “You aren’t going to kidnap my brother again, are you?”

Leon, embarrassed, “Oh my God, Michael!”

David, "No, we don't plan on kidnapping anybody.”

Leon quickly changed his tone, “I’ll be honest with you, I like this idea, but I need to go through it all very carefully to make sure that Gath will actually benefit from this."

Michael, "You are asking Gath to willingly cede sovereignty to this union. Who is going to be in charge? Who’s the king?”

David, “There is no king, it’s a body of laws.”

Joel, “And an independent court system.”

Michael, “How is Gath supposed to defend itself?”

David, “Defense is fully allowed, but, more than anything, this union is a guarantee of peace.”

Michael, “Do you know how many times King Silas guaranteed peace with Gath before?”

David, “The big thing here is I’m not Silas.”

Michael, “And yet you’re once again trying to take over Gath.”

David, “It’s not-”

Leon speaks up, “I think it’s a good idea. It still needs to be looked over-”

Michael snaps at him, “You aren’t premiere, I am!” he looks over at David, “This is a Trojan horse. Clearly, you want to be King of North America, and this is how you’re doing it.”

David, “If all I wanted was to increase my power and conquer Gath, I’d do it. This agreement forbids war for the sake of conquest, and it holds Gilboa accountable just like any other country.”

Jack speaks up, “Michael, listen,” he speaks slowly and carefully, “I get it. You’re only premiere for ten years. You want a legacy, to be a leader, more than a footnote. That’s what you're doing, right?"

Michael sighs with annoyance.

Jack, "You won't do that keeping Gath in the past.”

Michael glowers at Jack, recognizing that he’s made a point.

Jack, “Other countries won’t- won’t…” he struggles with the words.

Michael smirks, “Brain still scrambled, eh?”

David, “That is enough!”

Leon, “Seriously man, stop it!”

Michael snaps, “You aren’t the one in charge!”

Abby, “Maybe we should take a break.”

David, “That sounds like a good idea.”

  * Out in the hallway, the Gilboans discuss strategy.



Abby, “Okay, we’ve got a power struggle between brothers. So now what?”

David, “I think Jack is on to something. We can try offering Michael some kind of leadership role…”

Joel, “Offer him too much, he’ll take it over.”

David, “What can we offer him that he’ll like, that he’ll respond to?”

As they talk, someone comes up the hallway and goes towards the door. David glances up at the person, and sees that it’s Gerald, “Oh, what the FUCK!”

Gerald, “Pay me no mind.”

David, “This meeting is for sitting officials only!”

Gerald opens the door, “I’m not participating, just observing!” he slips into the room and closes the door.

David tries to go after him, “This isn’t part of the agreement!”

Abby, “David, I fucking told you he’d show up!”

David, “I don’t want him in the room!”

Abby, “Then ignore him!”

Jack, trying to get David back on track, “David! _Michael._ We’re talking about _Michael_.”

David sighs and glances back at the door, “Yeah, okay. I- I think you’re right, we should offer to make him a part of this whole process. The question is, can we give him an important role where he still won’t be able to get in our way?”

Jack, “Dinner. The dinner is important.” He stops taking and looks at his hand.

David, “So what do we do, just flatter his ego until we leave for dinner, and then flatter him even more?”

Abby, “If it gets the job done.”

Jack keeps staring down at his hand and mutters, “Aw, fuck.”

David, “What?”

Jack softly, “I got the lights.”

David’s mood immediately shifts to concern. He puts a hand on Jack’s shoulder, “Okay, we’ll get you back up to the room, I guess we can put this meeting on hold.”

Jack, “No. You- you keep going.”

David, “I don’t want to leave you alone.”

Jack, “No!” he waves his hand, “You keep going.” He goes over to his assistant, and then turns back to David, “You go. I’ll be at dinner.”

  * The Gilboans file back into the meeting room, without Jack. Gerald sits imperiously in a corner.



David glances over at him. He mutters to Abby, “Can we get him to leave?”

Abby, “Ignore him.” They all sit down.

Michael, “Where is Jack?”

Abby, “Unfortunately, while we were in discussion, Jack began to experience some pre-seizure symptoms, and had to leave.”

Leon, "Is he okay?"

David, "Yeah, he's got an aide who's an ex-AFG medic, so he's being looked after.”

Michael, “How often does this happen?”

David, bristling, “Not often.”

Abby, “To get back to the subject at hand, it would be beneficial to all of us if Gath were to take a leadership role in promoting the Union. People who might not be willing to listen to David would be perfectly willing to listen to you.”

Michael looks at David and says very carefully, “You know David, I do appreciate that you must be very concerned about Jack.”

David, "Don't worry about it. He'll be at dinner. We're pretty used to dealing with it at this point.”

Michael, "The two of you have been through quite a lot together."

David, “Yes, we have."

Michael, "Then hopefully you will appreciate that in matters of international politics, Gath isn't willing to bend over quite as easily as Jack does.”

David gets to his feet, “That's enough.”

Leon yells at Michael, “Jesus!”

Abby, “If you're just going to resort to homophobic insults, these negotiations cannot go forward.”

David, “We’re not going to your dinner.”

Abby and Michael at the same time, "What?!"

David, “I understand that Gath wants to be a leading nation in international politics, but in order to do that, it needs an actual leader. Until then, the rest of the world is going to continue to see Gath at it always has: as a complete fucking dump." He storms out of the room.

  * Back in the lobby of the hotel, Liam still chats with Lisa. His phone buzzes, and takes it out and looks at it, "Oh, no."



Lisa, "What is it?”

Liam, "Dinner's cancelled."

Lisa, "What? Seriously? The dinner's supposed to be a really big deal."

Liam shrugs and puts his phone back in his pocket, “Eh, that's diplomacy for you. Something's always getting messed up."

Lisa sighs, "I had the most beautiful dress picked out. We still don’t get many occasions to dress up here."

Liam, "Tell you what. You and I can still go have a nice dinner. If that goes well, you can take me back to your apartment and show me that beautiful dress. How about it?”

Lisa laughs, “Okay.”

  * Abby and Michelle sit in their hotel room.



Abby, "I can’t believe Michael would be such a fucking dick. I mean, I can, but not in a major diplomatic meeting."

Michelle, "Everything he learned about diplomacy, he learned watching Gerald and Silas. Petty insults and saying no are all he knows."

Abby, “It's another night that I have to spend away from Daniel, and for what? We’ve accomplished nothing!" She sniffs and wipes her eyes.

Michelle, “It’s not a completely wasted evening. You’re here in Ashdod, and this time, I'm here too, and, hopefully, this time, you won’t be too afraid to make a romantic advance on me.”

Abby sighs and rolls her eyes, “Is that a hint?”

Michelle, “Between my residency and Daniel, when was the last time we got a nice evening together?”

  * In the renovated bar area of the Hotel, Joel and Shay drunkenly karaoke “What’s Up” by 4 Non-Blondes, “HEEEEEEEY-eeeeeey-eeeeeey-ey-ey, HEEEEEEEEEY-ey ey! I said hey! What’s goin’ on?!”



A small gathered crows applauds for them.

Shay, “Thank you! This is for our brother, Isaiah Clemens! Who should fucking be here right now!”

Joel pours out the contents of the bottle in his hands.

A Hotel employee hurries up, “Sir, you’re making a mess!”

  * In their room, David and Jack sit on their bed, eating burgers and shakes, watching _Real Housewives_.



Jack, “Gath food still sucks.”

David laughs and takes a drink form his milkshake, “Yeah, it really does.”

Jack, “No poison this time.”

David, “That was Silas, not Gath. I had this whole room searched thoroughly and I’m still pretty sure there’s a recording device hidden somewhere.”

Jack, “Give ‘em a show, like we used to.”

David laughs, “Do you think it’ll end up on OMGossip this time?”

Jack, “Maybe.”

David laughs some more and gazes adoringly at Jack. They sit in silence for a while Jack continues to eat his burger.

David, “You know, it’s so weird thinking about what we were like the first time we here.”

Jack looks at him, “Hm?”

David, “I dunno. I guess just being back here, on top of the documentary… it’s kind of got me thinking. The nostalgic part of me wants to be pissed off that they’ve changed everything, but like… of course it’s going to change. I keep thinking about what I was like, what everyone was like back then, and the word innocent keeps coming up. We were not innocent! I mean, Jesus, I was literally standing in front of a firing squad, and then you, you being locked up, thinking I was dead. We’d been through some shit! But I keep thinking about being in this room with you, staying up late, making you laugh, and…. _shit_. We were really fucking innocent back then, weren’t we?”

Jack, softly, “Yeah. We were.” He leans his head against David’s shoulder, and David leans his head against Jack’s.

David softly, “This room is where I really fell in love with you.”

Jack, “I want to talk to Gerald."

David, “What? Why?”

Jack, "I just do."

David, "Gerald doesn’t fucking _deserve_ to talk to you!"

Jack, "I know. I still want to."

David sighs heavily and leans his head back.

  * David and Jack get led through the halls of the palace. An aide leads them into the ante room of the library, where both Gerald and Michael are waiting for them.



Michael sees David, “Wait, you didn’t say he’d be here!”

David, “What are _you_ doing here?!”

Gerald, “Prince Jack and I will speak privately while the two of you wait out here.” He goes over to a pair of pocket doors and waits expectantly for Jack to follow him. Jack goes into the room, and Gerald follows him and then closes the doors. David and Michael glare at each other.

  * In the closed-off room, Jack sits down on a leather high-backed chair. Gerald goes over to a small bar, “Would you care for a drink?”



Jack, “No.”

Gerald, “Ah, yes, I seem to remember something about you not being able to drink alcohol.”

Jack glares as Gerald pours himself a drink.

Gerald turns back around and looks Jack over as he goes to his seat, “So why have you asked to speak with me?”

Jack, “Gath is going to join the NAU.”

Gerald sits down, “Yes, yes, I know. It’s pretty much inevitable at this point, isn’t it? David wants it to happen, so he’s going to make it happen. Michael is putting up resistance simply because someone has to. David is powerful, far more powerful than Silas ever was. Perhaps it’s because he’s just building on top of what Silas built, or that he has you by his side, or that he truly has God’s favor, I don’t know. He’s going to change the world, and it’s either change with him, or die in the past. Michael is going to make an agreement tomorrow, but he has to make a show of saying no first.”

Jack nods, “Good.”

Gerald, “Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me, now that we’re here?”

Jack sits and thinks for a long moment. For everything he wants to say, no words come to mind.

Gerald, softly, “You know, you look very much like your father, sitting there like that.”

Jack looks at him.

Gerald, “I don’t mean so much your facial features, even though you do take after Silas there. I mean with how you’re sitting. Your body language. He used to sit in that chair the exact same way. Now that you’re a father, I think you’ll appreciate how strange it is to see your parents reflected in your children.”

Jack, “Dad is dead.”

Gerald interrupts, “Leon never met his grandfather Nicholas, and yet I see it in him constantly. Not in how he leads or make speeches, although I do think he has his grandfather’s talent. No, it’s in how he hunches his shoulders. Knits his eyebrows. How he sighs when he’s thinking. Small things. Some day soon, you’ll see little flashes of Silas in Prince Daniel.”

Jack, “Are you satisfied?”

Gerald, “What?”

Jack, “With what you did.”

Gerald sighs and sits back in his chair, “Silas is dead. The final blow may not have come by my hand, but my actions led to it. In that sense, yes, I am quite satisfied.”

Jack, “You wanted to kill me.”

Gerald, “Do you know why Leon is so much younger than his brothers? After her father was so brutally murdered, Marlene fell into a deep depression-”

Jack interrupts, “I don’t care! You tried to kill me!”

Gerald, "I still very nearly did. I just failed to take David into account. Nonetheless, Silas still died believing you were dead.”

Jack, “I'm still alive! I- I’m married! I’m a dad! I’m happy!"

Gerald, “Of course you’re happy! David is doing everything he can to make sure that you’re happy! He’ll change the whole damn world just to protect you! I spent twenty years imagining the perfect revenge against Silas, but I never once imagined that something like David could happen. Honestly, I never thought you would be anything more than the second casket at your father’s funeral. And look at you. David’s the king, but… you’re the one with him wrapped around your little finger. I’ve heard people call David the most powerful man in the world, but they’re wrong. It’s you. I know there’s a part of you that misses your father and wants his advice, and it’s my fault you can’t get it. I can’t undo that, but I can give you the wisdom I learned fighting him,” he sighs deeply and thinks for a long moment, “There will always be consequences you never anticipated. No matter how lightly you tread, someone will always get crushed. David is flying higher than I ever imagined possible, and if he is Icarus, you must be the one who pulls him away from the sun.”

Jack looks over at the door.

  * ([“No Glory in the West” Orville Peck](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU0TAsEjUpg)) Out in the anteroom with David and Michael, the doors slide open. David immediately gets to his feet. Jack and Gerald enter.



David reaches out and touches Jack’s face, “Are you all right?”

Jack touches David’s hand, “Yeah.”

David looks over at Gerald.

Gerald, “Gath will be joining your Union.”

Michael, “Dad…”

Gerald, “Call it a night, Michael. It’s the right thing to do.”

David looks awkwardly from Michael to Gerald, “I… Thanks.”

Jack, “Let’s go back to the room.”

  * In their room, Jack and David put their night clothes on.



David, “You are fucking good. Seriously, I thought we’d have to start inciting riots or something.” He hugs Jack from behind and kisses his cheek, “I’m lucky you’re my husband.”

Jack grins at him, “Take me to bed and fuck me.”


	70. S7, E7: Revelation

**“Revelation”**

In the press briefing room of the Rabbath Palace, Andrew stands at the podium, addressing a crowd of reporters, “Before I start today’s briefing, I would like to thank King Wayne for appointing me as his new press secretary. It’s an honor to be serving such a fine king, and I look forward to serving him well. Any questions?”

The reporters all try to grab his attention.

Andrew points to one, “Yes?”

Reporter, “Has King Wayne responded to the declaration signed by his generals, condemning his marriage to Queen Mercy?”

Andrew, “He is responding in private, but publicly he continues to assert that his marriage is perfectly Biblical to those who know the Bible.”

Another reporter, “Is there any indication that Ammon will be joining King David's North American Union?"

Andrew, “Why would we do that? Seriously, like, why? That's dumb."

Another reporter, “Your wife has said she will not be joining you in Ammon because, quote, ‘There's no way I'm raising two little girls in that misogynist shithole.’ Do you have any comments?"

Andrew, disparagingly, “My wife is a feminist,” his tone changes back to cheerful, "That's all for now! Thank you!”

  * In Wayne’s council chamber, his cabinet, all older men who were appointed by Warner, stands up as Wayne enters. Wayne gives them all a quick glance over, and without even sitting down, he says, “You’re all fucking fired.”



The councilors all look at each other awkwardly as Wayne sit down.

Wayne, “You all signed a declaration condemning my marriage, and I’m not going to tolerate it!”

One councilor speaks up, “The king of a Christian nation cannot be a polygamist-”

Wayne, “I’m not having this argument again! Unless there’s a new chapter of the Bible explicitly forbidding multiple wives, everything I’m doing is perfectly biblical!”

One councilor tries to say something, but Wayne cuts him off, “And don’t bring up the New Covenant, I’ve already heard it! You’re all old men who served my father, and I need young men who are willing to serve me!”

Gen. Dale McClintock, Commander General of the Ammonian army, speaks up, “Wayne, firing all of us would be reckless in a way that I know Warner never raised you to be. You have every right to be angry, but don’t go putting the country in at risk because of it.”

Wayne rolls his eyes and thinks for a moment, "I still want to replace most of you. If you want to keep your job, you need to prove that you can be more useful to me than someone who's younger and more in-step with my ideals.”

McClintock, “Can I speak with you alone?”

  * Wayne and McClintock walk down a palace corridor.



McClintock, “I know you admired me when you were a boy. I hope that you still look up to me.”

Wayne, somewhat sheepishly, “I do.”

McClintock, “I know that deep down you must understand why so many of us are unhappy with your decision.”

Wayne, “It’s perfectly biblical!”

McClintock, “Yes, I know! The kings of the Bible all had many wives, but it always sowed discord and distress in their families. Life during the times of the Old Testament was short and brutal. Men were called up to serve in the army, and so many of them were killed, it created a gender imbalance, and polygamy was a necessity to care for the extra women. By the time of Christ, society had settled and civilized, and the standard of monogamy was set. The nuclear family with one husband and one wife has lasted through the ages because it is the most stable and harmonious family unit.”

Wayne, “I love Hattie and Mercy, and now that I’m married, I’m not going to divorce either of them!”

McClintock, “I know that. But what about the rest of us? Is polygamy going to be the standard in Ammon now?”

Wayne, “David got to re-define marriage!”

McClintock, “But you’re not David!”

Wayne, “A husband must provide for his wife. As long as a husband can provide, he should be able to have as many wives as he wants.”

McClintock, “So wealthy men start hoarding women, they could have dozens of wives. That creates an imbalance and young men who would otherwise make excellent fathers and husbands are forced to go without. Women get bought like trophies. It de-stabilizes society.”

Wayne makes a face and then mutters, “Well, if only the king does it, it can’t be that bad. Besides, I don’t want to marry anyone else. I’m satisfied with my two wives.”

McClintock, “Will you still be saying that ten years from now?”

Wayne, “I’m not a pervert!”

  * In a beautiful sun-filled garden, Mercy lays reading in a hammock. She wears a sun dress with spaghetti straps.



Hattie, in her typical modest Chanel, bursts out of the door, “You don’t have to go showing it off!”

Mercy lowers her book, “Pardon?”

Hattie fumes at her, “We all know why Wayne married you, you don't have to dress like that!”

Mercy sits up, “Wayne got me this dress.”

Hattie, “Look, I know that I’m just going to have to put up with you now, but you have to understand, I’m still the one he married first! My son is his heir! I’m the queen of Ammon that everyone loves!”

Mercy, “I’m not trying to compete with you. I only married Wayne so he wouldn’t go to war with Gilboa.”

Hattie, sarcastically, “Oh, you’re so noble!”

o Back inside, McClintock and Wayne continue to talk as they go down the corridor. McClintock, “I know you’re eager to prove yourself, but that takes time…”

Wayne sees Mercy and Hattie talking through a door, and stops walking.

McClintock stops, “What?”

Wayne opens the door and heads out.

o Outside, Wayne says, “What is going on here?”

Hattie, “I was just having a little talk with Mercy here. That dress is too immodest.”

Wayne, “I picked it out for her. As long as she wears it here where no one else can see her, it's fine.”

Hattie sneers.

Wayne puts his arm around her and kisses her on the cheek, “You know, you and Mercy are sisters now, and I love the both of you dearly. I want you two to love each other like sisters, because my job is already hard enough without having to settle a catfight every day. Right now, I have to go face a room full of old men who are just furious at me for doing what is well within my right as king and perfectly acceptable in the Bible. I don’t want my beautiful wives being angry, too. Now, I have a meeting to go to. You two be good to each other.”

Hattie lowers her gaze humbly, "I will."

Mercy rolls her eyes and keeps reading.

Back in the hallway, McClintock watches it all with disapproval.

  * Dressed in a sexy retro-style nightgown, Hattie is waiting for Wayne when he enters the bedroom, looking tired. She sits up straight as he gets into bed.



Hattie, “You know, I missed you terribly last week." She cuddles up to him.

Wayne grabs a remote off of his side table and turns a TV on, "I've had a good day today, too”

Hattie lets out a low, happy, “Mmmm,” and rubs Wayne’s chest. Slowly, she lowers her hand towards the waist band of his boxers.

Wayne, "What are you doing?!"

Hattie, "I haven’t seen you in a week! I missed you!”

Wayne, “Give me a chance to rest!”

Hattie pulls away and settles into her place, apart from Wayne. After a moment, she says, “Do I still mean anything to you?"

Wayne looks at her, “What?”

Hattie, “I can't compete with her, so I’m not going to.” She gets out of the bed.

Wayne, “Where are you going?”

Hattie, “I’m going back to my room! I have no business being here!"

Wayne, “You’re still my wife!”

Hattie turns around, “You have another wife. I’ll be your queen. I’ll keep going out in public and putting a pretty face on this monarchy. I’ll raise your son to be your heir. But I can't be your wife if you’re in love with her."

Wayne, "Hattie, don't embarrass yourself.”

Hattie, brimming with anger, “You know _nothing_ about humiliation!” She turns around and storms out of the room.

Wayne sits there, stunned. He looks around awkwardly for a few moments, and then realizes he's alone, “Fuck.”

  * Hattie stumbles out into a hallway, sobbing and wiping at her eyes. She runs into a wall with a loud THUMP, and then sinks to her knees, sobbing loudly. A door opens, and Mackynzie, dressed in a dressing gown, steps out. She sees Hattie crying, and goes over and sits beside her. Mackynzie reaches an arm out and puts it on Hattie’s shoulder. Hattie leans over and cries onto Mackynzie's shoulder.



Another door opens, and Mae steps out, also wearing a dressing gown. She sees Hattie and Mackynzie and hurries over, “Oh, what's wrong, dear?”

Mackynzie, “It’s all right, Mama.”

Hattie sits up, wipes her eyes, and tries to re-gain some dignity.

Mae kneels to sit down beside her.

Hattie, “When I married Wayne, I thought I was living this fairy tale. There aren’t any fairy tales where the king marries a second wife.”

Mae reaches out and puts a hand on Hattie’s arm, “This is just what being a woman is- pain and hardship. We bleed once a month and go through the pain of childbirth, but we bear it, because it’s what God wants from us.”

Hattie, “I still don’t understand why God would want this! She- she didn’t even want to marry him! I know you know that this isn’t what God wants!”

Mae, “God put men in charge, and it’s not up to us to question that. There were so many nights that I doubted Warner’s decision to fight King Allen. There were so many nights when I was so angry at him for drawing me and the kids into the war, but I held on, and prayed. Look at how gloriously God has rewarded us. You’re still Wayne’s wife. You have to find a way to love him through the pain.”

Hattie, “How am I supposed to love him when he’s in love with someone else?”

Mae, “You have to find contentment. Choose to be happy. You still have many blessings in your life. Think of Ryder and McKeighlynn. Dry your eyes, and go back in to sleep in the bed you share with your husband.”

Hattie cries and wipes tears from her face.

Mackynzie, “Why don’t you go back to bed, Mama? I’ll stay here with Hattie, see she’s taken care of.”

Mae sighs, “All right. Good night, girls.” She gets up and leaves.

After her door shuts, Mackynzie says in a low voice, “If the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. Nothing that Wayne has done since becoming king can be described as Christian.”

Hattie, “I can’t just leave.”

Mackynzie, “I didn’t say you should leave. Wayne isn’t fit to lead a Christian nation.”

  * Michelle and Grace (plus translator) meet for lunch on a palace balcony.



Michelle, “Thanks so much for coming! I’m sorry it all took so long to figure something out- my residency is almost done and everything’s crazy right now.”

Grace (through her translator), “It's no problem. I’m glad to finally meet with you.”

Michelle, “The reason I've been so eager to meet with you is because I’ve taken a look at your advocacy work in Ammon- I'd like to ask you to be on the advisory board of the Prince Seth Children's Hospital.”

Grace, delighted, “I'd be honored!"

Michelle, "Fantastic. It’s really important to me to have a lot of formerly sick and disabled kids on the board- people who know what it's like to be in the hospital."

Grace, “Actually, I was never taken to the hospital. My family was on the run.”

Michelle, “Oh, okay. You can still really help us with deaf accessibility, that’s fine.”

Grace, “Wonderful.”

Michelle, “Do you mind if I ask, how exactly did you lose your hearing?”

Grace, “My family’s camp as attacked. An explosion ruptured my eardrums.”

Michelle, “Did you get any kind of medical treatment at all?”

Grace, "No."

Michelle, "Did you experience any kind of infection afterwards?”

Grace, “I don't know. I was six. I remember being in a lot of pain.”

Michelle, "You probably did have some kind of infection. Usually, ruptured eardrums will heal on their own. It’s the infections that cause permanent hearing loss.”

Grace, defensively, "My family was on the run. If we went to a hospital, they'd take me away.”

Michelle, "Hm. We were able to get antibiotics in the AFG.”

Grace doesn’t say anything, struggling with the information.

Michelle, “But Reverend Samuels had this huge network built. We had doctors who could write us prescriptions and runners who could get them filled and then more runners who could get them delivered.”

Grace, "The Christian Resistance didn't have that. We were mostly just fighters."

Michelle gives a polite smile, but then her mood changes, "Listen, I really am impressed with the charity work you did in Ammon, and I think you'll do great things for the Prince Seth Hospital, but I also reached out to you because I know you’ve got to be going through some difficult things right now, stuff that’s not entirely unlike what I’ve been through. There aren’t a whole lot of people who can talk first-hand about trying to get out of a fucked-up royal family, so… just know that I’m here.”

Grace, “Thank you for your kindness.”

Michelle, “I still really miss my dad, even though I know very few other people do. I also kind of wish that I’d been the one who killed him.”

Grace, “My father wasn’t like your father. He never mistreated us or lied to us.”

Michelle, “I know. And if you’d rather not talk, that’s fine. Just know that the option is open, okay?”

Grace looks at her for a moment, apprehensive, and then nods and says, “Thank you.”

  * At the Rabbath palace, Mercy greets Elías with a big hug, “Thank you so much for coming!”



Elías, "Just wanted to make sure you're okay.”

Behind them, Wayne eyes Elías with distrust, “She's a queen, of course she's doing well."

Mercy steps away from Elías and over to Wayne. She murmurs into his ear, "Be nice. He's just my brother." She goes back over to Elías and takes him by the arm, "Come on, I'll show you around.” She leads him away, with Wayne looking on.

Once they’re in an isolated place, Elías stops walking at turns to Mercy, “Okay, seriously, how are you doing?”

Mercy, “I’m fine, actually. I mean, Hattie definitely hates me, but I was expecting that.”

Elías, “You aren’t having a hard time with…” his eyes travel to her shoulder.

Mercy, “Oh, no. I guess I haven’t been here long enough to really get triggered or something, but I'm still talking to my therapist, and besides, Wayne makes it kinda hard to hide anything.”

Elías, “What, do you mean he like, checks?”

Mercy, “No, no, it's... it's husband and wife stuff that I’m sure you don’t want to hear about.”

Elías, “If he's making you do anything you don't want to do, I do want to hear about it.”

Mercy, "Don't worry about it, really. He's listened every time I’ve said no, and he hasn't asked me to do anything weird or gross, so…” she shrugs, “Me being happy is a big part of his whole romance fantasy. I know it's not healthy thinking and I shouldn’t keep saying it, but things really could be a lot worse.”

Elías, “Is there anything you want? I can ask him."

Mercy, “No, don’t. I know you want to help, but… this whole balancing act rests on his idea of what this relationship is like. He wants me to be his happy, spoiled little pet, so, I act like one, and he gives me whatever I want.”

  * Elías has dinner with the Judds.



Mae, “Obviously, what happened with Esperanza and Vesper was extremely hard on both Warner and me, but the worst was we didn't know what happened to you kids. We figured you had to be at least alive, but beyond that... Silas wouldn't tell us anything. It was torture for us, and he knew it, I'm sure. Otherwise we would have taken you all in and raised you as our own.”

Elías, “Things definitely would have turned out differently if that happened.” He glances over at Wayne, who glares back at him. Elías goes on, “I was pretty lucky, though. My adoptive parents were always very kind and supportive.”

Wayne, “They knew who they were adopting? Abbadon’s heir?”

Elías, awkwardly, “Well, I made it pretty clear, I didn't want to be anything like my dad.”

Wayne, “But you’re a teacher now, like Vesper, aren’t you?”

Elías, “I’m a middle school English teacher. Pretty different from Biblical linguistics.”

Wayne, “Can't imagine your students were thrilled to find out."

Mercy reaches over and puts her hand on his arm, “Wayne, be nice."

Elías, “Everyone took it pretty well, actually. My students were more curious than anything. They’re young enough they don’t remember Dad. Growing up, going through everything, books were always my source of comfort, a way to escape. I became a teacher because I wanted to give that to other kids.”

Mae, “Esperanza would be so proud. She’d be so proud of all of you.”

Wayne, “I'd like to invite all of you to my coronation ball.”

Elías, “I can’t speak for everyone, but I’d be happy to come. Should be soon, right?”

Wayne, “I originally intended for it to be held next month, but in light of recent events, I’ve decided to postpone it for another six months. I plan on using the ball to announce that Mercy is carrying my child.”

Elías quickly looks over at Mercy, “Are you-?”

Mercy, “Not yet.”

Wayne, “But soon enough.”

  * Mercy and Wayne get ready for bed in their bedroom.



Sitting at her vanity, Mercy brushes her hair and texts on her phone, “I wish you would try to be friends with Elías. You were such good friends growing up.”

Wayne, “I was a child then. A lot has changed.”

Mercy turns to look at him, “I want the men in my life to get along.”

Wayne, “He’s the Abbadon heir.”

Mercy, “He's an English teacher.”

Wayne, “So was your father. As king, I have to be wary of all my potential rivals.”

Mercy, patiently, “Elías doesn’t want anything to do with politics. Even if he was, any possible supporters would be scared off by the name Abbadon. Even with all the charity work I accomplished in Gilboa, nobody wants to talk to me here."

Wayne, “I heard he’s been working with David.”

Mercy shakes her head, "Not recently. He's met with David a few times, but that was with me and the rest of our family to figure out how we were going to handle us all being publicly identified. David's always been very kind to us. Gabriel mentioned that he likes marine biology, so David let us spend a weekend at his private beach house. We spent our time foraging for clams and looking in tide pools. It was some of the best time we've been able to have together."

Wayne, "I can buy Gabriel a beach house."

Mercy sighs, “I know you can.” She turns back to her phone and texts something.

Wayne, “Who are you texting?”

Mercy, “My family! Who else would I be texting?”

Wayne, “If Elías is smart, he won’t get in between me and you. I don’t like other men spending too much time with you.”

Mercy, “Wayne, he’s my _brother_!”

Wayne, “I know he’s reporting everything I say back to David.”

Mercy goes over to Wayne. She puts her hands on his shoulder and touches his face, “Can you at least try to like him? For me?”

Wayne, “He doesn’t appreciate what I went through to make you my wife.”

Mercy, “I told him about the war. He knows.”

Wayne, “The war was nothing. I had to be king before I could even think of war.”

Mercy, jokingly, “What, Warner wasn’t dying fast enough so you had to speed him along?”

Wayne doesn’t say anything. Mercy grows serious. Fright shines in her eyes.

Wayne, “When I want something, I do what I have to get it.”

Mercy, “Did… did you really kill Warner?”

Wayne, “I’m not going to say any more. When I'm faced with problems, I deal with them. It's very much in Elías’s best interest that he doesn’t become a problem for me."

Mercy nods and pulls her hands away, showing fear, “Don’t worry. I’ll keep him at arm’s length. No matter what, you’re the most important man in my life.” She steps away and goes back to her vanity.

Wayne gets into bed, “Come get into bed with me.”

Mercy texts something on her phone, “Just a moment. Let me say good night to everyone.” She sends the final text and puts the phone down. She gets into bed.

Wayne, “I have to protect my crown and my queen. Deceit is everywhere. I have to always be on guard.”

  * Elías sits in his guest bedroom, looking at his phone.



He presses a button, and a sound recording plays, “My father stood in my way, so I moved him.”

Elías presses stop, relieved and joyful to have gotten it.

  * David, Jack, Abby, Asher, Shay, and Joel sit around listening to the recording.



Grace is there, and her translator translates the audio for her, “ _My father stood in my way, so I moved him_.”

David, “This needs to be public. Let the whole world see exactly who he is."

Asher, "The moment we release this, he'll know Mercy was the one who recorded him.”

David, “What, do you seriously think he'd hurt her?"

Abby, “You can’t rely on trust with men like that. Hurting their ego is the worst thing you can possibly do."

David looks over at Grace, “What do you think?”

Grace wipes tears from her eyes and shakes her head. Eventually, she signs, “I don't know. Can I talk to Michelle?”

  * Grace sits by herself in a private room.



The door opens, and Michelle enters, dressed in scrubs and ready for work. She looks at Grace, and then around the room, “Is your translator coming?”

Grace speaks, using her voice for the first time, halting and uneasy, “I want to speak to you alone.”

Michelle sits down beside her, “Okay. My shift starts soon, but I can talk a few minutes.”

Grace, “When did you realize your father wasn’t a good man?”

Michelle, “I… it- it was a long time coming. I always knew that he was too harsh on Jack, but I kept telling myself it was what Jack needed, and…” she stops, and sighs, “Seth. It was Seth. When I learned that my father had another child, and that he was kept from us, and that he was sick like me. It’s the one thing I don’t think I can ever forgive him for, that I still get incredibly angry about. What about you?”

Grace, “I never doubted my father when he was alive. He was doing God’s work. Vesper was the evil crazy one. He loved us, he treated us with kindness, he- he wasn’t like King Silas. I think my father meant good, but he didn't do good. Wayne shouldn’t be king.”

Michelle, dryly, “Well you’re in good company, then. Here in Gilboa we know a thing or two about king removal. I can tell you that David’s wanted to start a popular uprising in Ammon for years.”

Grace, “Not like that- Ammon isn’t Gilboa.”

Michelle, “Then I really don’t know what to tell you. If nobody does anything, nothing will happen.”

Grace thinks for a moment, and then looks back at Michelle, “Thank you for talking to me.”

  * Back in the council chamber, David talks on, “You see, if we create this basic declaration of rights, that gives the people something to rally around and demand…”



The door opens, and Grace steps in. David sits up when he sees her, “Oh, Grace, hi…”

Jack signs, “Welcome back.”

David, “I think your translator went off somewhere, I can have someone find her.”

Grace speaks, “Don’t do anything with the recording. Let me handle it.”

  * Wayne gets ready for bed while Mercy waits in bed for him.



Mercy, "You know, I was hoping to have a good time tonight.”

Wayne looks over, instantly horny, “Really?”

Mercy smiles seductively, “I miss you when you spend the night with Hattie.”

Wayne crawls into bed with her, “I’ll make you happy tonight…"

Suddenly, there's a knock on the door.

Wayne looks back, "oh, goddamnit,” he raises his voice, “WHAT?!”

Hattie’s voice answers, "I'd like to speak with you."

Wayne, "I'm BUSY!"

Hattie, "It's important."

Wayne sighs with annoyance.

Mercy, softly, "You can take a moment to speak to her."

Wayne, “Fine." He gets up, goes over to the door, and opens it. Hattie stands on the other side, in her sexy retro-style nightgown and robe.

Wayne looks down at her, “Yes?”

Hattie, “May I come in?”

Wayne, “I’m with Mercy tonight.”

Hattie, “This is about that,” She glances over at Mercy, and takes a deep breath, “I’ve done some thinking, and I’ve come to realize that no matter what, I’m still your wife. I have to respect your wishes, and it’s unfair to make you choose between the two of us.”

Wayne tries to understand what she’s saying, “So, what you mean is….”

Hattie, “I’d like to join you and Mercy tonight.”

Wayne smiles, surprised but delighted, “I’m not gonna say no to that,” he looks back at Mercy, “Would you be all right with that?”

Mercy, "I will always respect your wishes.”

Wayne steps back, gesturing for Hattie to come join him and Mercy. Hattie steps into the room.

Wayne comes up from behind her, and gets into the bed, “Now, you know Mercy and I were intending on enjoying each other’s company tonight.” He scoots over to Mercy and puts his arm around her. He looks expectantly over to Hattie.

Hattie, “That’s just fine. You do whatever you want.”

Wayne, “Well, all right then!” He turns and begins to kiss Mercy.

Hattie undoes her robe like she’s getting ready to join them. She reaches behind her back, and pulls out something: a taser. She fires the shot at Wayne, Who jerks, tenses and then goes still.

Immediately, Mercy rolls him onto his stomach and then climbs onto his back, “Really, a taser?!” She holds Wayne’s hands behind his back, and digs around behind the pillows.

Hattie, “It’s the most effective way to incapacitate someone without killing them!”

Mercy pulls some zip-ties out, “Couldn’t you just inject him with something?!”

Hattie, “Injections only work quickly if you inject directly into a vein, otherwise it takes like fifteen minutes!”

Wayne moans and moves, causing Mercy to scream and jump. Hattie zaps him again, and Wayne goes still.

  * ([“Tainted Love (Single Version)” Gloria Jones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJKe2j9Wjh4)) Two army guys roughly drag a bound and gagged Wayne down the palace hallway. Hattie and Mercy follow behind them.



Hattie, “You married me, Wayne, _me_! I’m your first wife and the mother of your heir! I was perfect! I was beautiful! I was modest! I was demure! I was kind and loving! I was the best wife and queen you could have ever asked for, and I still wasn’t good enough! You will never find another wife as good as me! I’m still the one you chose to be the queen of Ammon, and I refuse to be second to anyone!”

The near the back service exit, where Gen. McClintock stands by the door, “I’m sorry, Wayne, but this is for the good of the country.” He opens the back door, revealing a windowless van with its back open. Wayne struggles and tries to yell against his gag as he’s dragged in and dumped on the floor. He struggles to get up, and stares imploringly at Hattie and Mercy.

Mercy, “We’re getting a divorce.” The van door closes.

**Author's Note:**

> LEAVE A COMMENT!!!!!!


End file.
